Phoenix Rising
by Elizabeth Robbins
Summary: AU. Enterprise encounters a very powerful being that nearly destroys the ship. Star Fleet sends in an agent to track the being down and kill it. STNG and XMen crossover. Rated for later chapters. Now finished
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimers: Logan and Jubilee belong to Marvel. The Star Ship Enterprise and her crew as well as Q, belong to Paramount and the estate of Gene Roddenbury. Regina Williams belongs to me.

A/N: This is a crossover between Star Trek: The Next Generation and X-Men.

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 1

"Captains' Log: Stardate 4513.4

"Repairs are underway after our encounter with the being called Argon. Mr. LaForge estimates repair time for main engines at forty four fours and phasers at six days, if we can find replacement parts. Hull breaches on decks 3, 10, 12 and 15 are contained with emergency force fields.

"Our greatest priority is the lack of dilithium crystals. There is still no clue as to how the crystals were removed from the warp core and secure storage at the same time. Surveillance tapes show the crystals in their customary place one second, and gone the next. The technician standing next to the core at the time has stated that he was looking at the crystals at the time of their disappearance. He has reported an instantaneous disappearance, without transporter effect or intruder interference. We are at a loss to explain what happened. Mr. Worf and Mr. LaForge are presently involved in reviewing the security data to see if anything has been missed. Commander Data has assured me that there has been no changes to the computer logs during the time in question.

"We have informed Star Fleet of the situation and they are sending a repair ship with replacement dilithium crystals and parts. I have been informed that a representative of Star Fleet intelligence will also be on the cruiser. This has caused a great deal of tension on board Enterprise. Both Mr Worf and Commander Riker find the involvement of intelligence to be an insult to the crew of this ship. I will reserve judgment until I have evaluated what this agent can do.

"A list of the injured and dead accompanies this log as well as messages to the families of those lost on this mission. Please note, I have recommended a commendation for Lt. Regina Williams for bravery above and beyond the call of duty. Her actions saved the lives of thirteen crew members and prevented the destruction of the sick bay. She cannot or will not explain how she managed to prevent a hull breach directly into sick bay and I have decided not to press the issue at this time."

Captain Jean Luc Picard added his electronic signature to the log and sent it off to Star Fleet headquarters with a heavy heart. Loosing one crew member was difficult. This mission cost the ship twenty three. This was an unusually large number of fatalities for a mission that was never near a planet.

It was supposed to be routine investigation of possible piracy in the sector. Star Fleet was sure it was a copy cat using Argons' techniques since he had been spotted two days ago near Vulcan, nearly 100 light years away. The Vulcan's gave chase but quickly lost him and were unable to trace the ship. If that report was accurate, Argon has technology far above Star Fleet. Unfortunately, it was no copycat.

Picard turned his thoughts to Lt. Williams. She should have not been able to do what she did. There was no rational explanation. Several junior officers had mentioned magic and were roundly ridiculed. Picard wasn't so sure. He had been many places and seen many things that should have been impossible, most prominently, the Q.

His thoughts were interrupted by a tone from the door.

"Enter," he called. His First Officer, William Riker, entered as the doors opened.

"Final figures on the damage," he said as he handed a padd to his Captain. Picard read the report and felt slightly nauseous.

"We've never been hurt this bad before," he frowned. "The Beagle should be here tomorrow at twelve hundred hours. They have replacement parts and dilithium crystals. I am sending our dead and the more severely injured back with them."

"With all due respect Captain," Riker said, "Deanna isn't going to like that much."

"I have no intention of sending Counselor Troy with them," Picard told him. "Beverly tells me she has regained consciousness and feels fine. She says there was a telepath on Argons ship that shut her mind down."

"But scans showed only humans aboard," Riker protested.

"Yes," Picard said thoughtfully. "Curious, isn't it?" There were several things that were odd about that ship. He couldn't quite put his finger on the reason for his unease but it started with finding the ship in this sector when it shouldn't have been able to get here in the small amount of time available. "Will, what do you know about Lt. Williams?"

"She joined the crew six months ago with an excellent record," Riker reported. "Beverly tells me she's an good nurse. Other than that, nothing. I don't think I've met her. Why?"

"She was the crewman that saved sick bay during the attack," Picard explained. "I am at a loss as to how she did it." He really didn't want to voice his fears but he had to. "Could she be Q?"

"I don't think so," Riker mused. "If she were, we'd have gotten a visit from their roving ambassador by now."

"Don't mention him," Picard cringed. "He'll turn up like a bad penny."

"Bridge to Picard," Data's voice came over the comm.

"Go ahead Mr. Data," Picard answered.

"Sir, Beagle is hailing us."

Picards' eyebrows rose in surprise. "On my way," he told the android.

"Wonder why they're early," Riker mumbled as he followed his Captain out of the ready room to the bridge.

"On screen," Picard ordered. The harried face of Captain Marshall Creed popped up on the main view screen. "Marshall," Picard greeted him.

"Picard," Captain Creed almost cried with relief. "You have to take this lunatic off my hands immediately. He's been growling at me since he came aboard."

"Surely it isn't that bad," Picard began. "He is, after all, a represent..."

"I'm afraid to come out of my quarters," Creed interrupted. "He trains constantly. My security crew has been decimated by him. I'm begging you Jean Luc, get him off my ship!"

"Is he ready for transport?" Picard asked, sighing.

"He's been in the transporter room since 1300 hours," Creed said with a weak smile. "I wouldn't be out of my quarters if he wasn't."

"Are we in range Mr. Data?" Riker asked.

"Yes sir," Data replied.

"He wants all senior officers present when he transports in and there are some special transporter settings you will need," Creed told him. "I am having them sent now." Picard saw Data nod indicating he had received the information. A flurry of hands told Picard that the settings had been routed to the main transporter room.

"Thanks Picard," Creed sighed in relief. "I owe you big."

"I'll collect later," Picard told him. "Picard out." The screen switched to star field. "Senior officers to transporter room one."

Picard and Riker were surprised to find Deanna Troy present in the transporter room when they arrived.

"Counselor," Picard said as he entered the room. "Does Dr. Crusher know you are here?"

"She gave me a clean bill of health," Deanna smiled. "From what I hear, my presence may be needed."

"He had Captain Creed sacred to death," Riker snickered as a column of light appeared on the platform and coalesced into a man.

Picard immediately felt the power in him. He was short for a man, around five five, and powerfully built with thickly muscled arms and legs. His chest was heavily muscled, his shoulders broad. He had black hair with the tiniest bit of sliver that crested over each ear and fell just past his shoulders. His face sprouted mutton chop whiskers almost to his clean shaven chin. It gave him a wild look Picard associated with pictures of cave men. The mans' eyes stopped him cold. They were icy blue under thick brows. They were old eyes. They were the eyes of a killer. A movement to his side drew his gaze from the stranger. Worf was fidgeting.

Worf knew him. Oh, he didn't know him personally, but he knew his type. He recognized a kindred spirit in this small human immediately. This man was a warrior. He has seen death. He has offered death to his enemies with honor. Worf felt drawn to this man like he had never been drawn to anyone before. This would be an interesting mission.

Deanna Troy was having thoughts that she hadn't had in a while. This man exuded an animal magnetism that she had never felt before. She felt a surge of sexual attraction. Even dressed as he was, in jeans and a plaid shirt, he was sexy as hell. She met his eyes and saw a twinkle in them that gave her the feeling that he knew exactly what she was feeling. She flushed with embarrassment and lowered her eyes.

"Mr Logan," Picard said with a small bow, "I'm Jean Luc Picard, Captain of the Enterprise. May I introduce my senior staff? This is Commander William Riker, my First Officer; Lt. Cmdr Data, my Second Officer; Chief Medical Officer, Beverly Crusher; Chief Engineer, Lt. Cmdr Geordie LaForge; Chief of Security Lt. Worf and ships Counselor Deanna Troy. Welcome aboard."

"Thanks," a gravely voice said, "and it's just Logan."

"I will have Counselor Troy escort you to your quarters," Picard told him.

"Hold on," Logan growled. "I wanted ya here fer a reason. I need ta set yer scents before ya leave the room."

"Excuse me?" Riker asked, confused.

"Didn't tell ya 'bout me, huh?" Logan asked. "I can recognize people by their scent. I need ta set the scents of the senior officers. They'll be the likely ones ta be replaced."

"By what?" Crusher asked, surprised.

"Ya never know," Logan said as he made a circuit of the room, sniffing. He paused briefly at Deanna, gave her a small smile and continued without comment. When he got to Data, he stopped. He took a deeper sniff, turning to the tall android.

"What are ya?" he demanded.

"Mr. Data is an android and a valued member of my crew," Picard warned him. Logan grunted, his eyes suspicious.

When he got to Worf, he once again stopped. "Never liked the smell o' Klingons but they're great brawlers."

"I would be honored to fight you," Worf said respectfully. Logan nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm done, Cap," he said as he turned to Picard.

"Counselor," Picard said.

"Right this way, Logan," she slipped her arm through his.

"Always happy fer the company of a lovely lady," he smiled and they left the transporter room.

Picard turned to his staff after the doors slid closed. "Opinions?"

"That is possibly the most dangerous man I have ever met," Riker said.

"How's that?" Beverly asked. She found him gruff but strangely attractive.

"His eyes," Riker clarified. "He has the most," he stopped, struggling for words.

"Deadly," Worf supplied helpfully.

"Yes," Riker exclaimed. "Thank you. Deadly eyes I have ever seen. He has killed."

"He has been an operative with Star Fleet intelligence for many years," Picard supplied. "I am willing to bet he has done some of the more nasty jobs they needed done."

"He is an honorable man," Worf staunchly insisted. "He has killed, I agree, but only when he had to."

"How do you know that?" LaForge asked.

"I know honor when I see it," Worf told them. "He has a very old soul and has seen much. I would be honored to fight him."

"Worf has always been a good judge of character," LaForge told them. "I think we need to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Data," Picard turned to him, "you have been strangely silent. Do you have an opinion?"

"I have been accessing his records," Data told him. "He has been an intelligence operative for over fifty years. Prior to that, there is no record of him at all. As to my opinion, I am not human and therefore, not qualified to make a judgment."

"Briefing at 0900 hours," Picard told them as he left, his face troubled.

He wasn't charming, Deanna decided. She wasn't sure why he was affecting her in such a personal way, but she would enjoy it while it lasted. He had a rough way about him that she usually found repugnant, but for some reason she found this man very attractive.

It had been a long time between lovers for her. For some reason, she felt comfortable enough around him to make an offer. She shook her head, 'Down girl,' she thought.

The guest quarters were spacious. Logan was impressed. Enterprise appeared to be a well run and content ship. Her Captain was experienced, battle hardened and difficult to surprise. From what he could observe, the crew worked together like a well oiled machine. He thanked the beautiful ships counselor and excused himself, claiming fatigue.

After she left, he inspected the rooms for bugs and other surveillance equipment. It took him more than two hours but the room was clean except the computer.

"Computer, access Star Fleet intelligence files Logan 16B, password Xavier." His incomplete biography flashed onto the screen. "Who has accessed this file in the past twelve hours?"

"Lt. Cmdr Data and Lt. Worf," the computer replied. He had anticipated that. "Has anyone from outside Enterprise attempted to access this file in the past thirty standard days?"

"Negative."

"Access file Wolverine 19345 Alpha Gamma, password Jubilee." Another file came up and he sat down to work. This was his real file and complete biography. It was hundreds of pages long. Everything he needed to access could be routed through this file. It was activated by his voice only and the code and file number changed every time he opened it.

When Star Fleet called, he had initially refused the assignment. He'd had enough of chasing bad guys around the galaxy and was ready to retire but Admiral Fremont insisted that Logan was the only one who could kill Argon.

That was the assignment. He was to track down and kill Argon. Star Fleet had no hope of rehabilitating the pirate. When Logan had heard the details of the case, he had to agree with Fremont. Anyone else going up against the murderous pirate was going to die.

Fremont didn't know but Argon wasn't the problem. There was a bigger problem on that ship and Logan was the only one who could contain it. He had a fair chance of surviving but it wasn't certain. He was used to those kind of odds.

He closed the file and instructed the computer to delete all mention of his computer use from the logs. Having intelligence credentials came in handy for covering your tracks. He opened the bag the yeoman had brought from the transporter room and unpacked. He pulled several pairs of jeans and a number of plaid shirts out of the bag and placed them neatly in the dresser. Reaching back into the bag, he pulled out a yellow and blue wad of cloth and shook it out. His old costume in contemporary fabric. He didn't know why he kept returning to this costume. Maybe is was the familiarity of the fit or the colors. Fremont said that it was a connection to his past. Maybe he was right.

He reached into the bag and pulled out the one irreplaceable item he owned. It was an old fashioned photograph preserved forever in stasis. He looked much the same in the picture. The same hair, nearly the same clothes but the look in his eyes was very different. In the photograph, he was smiling broadly. He remembered it as one of the happiest days in his life. The main reason was the other subject in the picture. A beautiful, Asian girl of about twenty-five looked adoringly up at his past self. Jubilee, on her birthday and the day he finally admitted to himself that he loved her. She disappeared less than five hours after the photograph was taken.

He had married seven times over the years, more for companionship than love. He had fathered four children from three of them, all daughters. He was fond of most of his wives but they never were able to claim his heart as Jubilee had. Even after four hundred years, he still missed her.

"Aw, Jubes," he sighed, "where did ya go?" A chime came from the door.

"Logan?" he heard Deannas' voice.

"Come in," he said softly.

"I'm sorry to intrude," Deanna said. He looked up at her. She was crying. "You're radiating sorrow so deep that I can't help but feel it. What's wrong?"

"Damn telepaths," he muttered.

"I'm empathic," she corrected. "My mother is Betazoid, my father human."

"I'm sorry to intrude on yer evening," he said as he rose from the bed.

"You're not intruding, but I think you may need someone to talk to." She looked at the picture on the table by the bed. "She's beautiful." A fresh wave of sadness and loss washed over her. "Why does she make you so sad? Who is she?" Deanna directed sympathy and acceptance toward him, encouraging him to vent his feelings. She watched as he carefully picked up the picture and traced the girls' face with a callused finger.

"Her name was Jubilation Lee," he said quietly. "I first met her when she was thirteen, when she saved my butt in Australia. She was my partner and best friend for a long time."

"She meant a lot to you?"

"She meant everythin ta me. When she disappeared, I thought I'd go insane. I looked for her fer ten years but never found her. When Chuck declared her dead, I almost killed him." His voice was rough with grief. It had been so long since he had spoken about Jubilee that the pain of her loss was once again fresh.

"What happened?" she asked as she sat down beside him.

"We had a party fer her twenty-fifth birthday. Jean and Ororo had decorated the mansion in Jubes' favorite colors. There were balloons and streamers everywhere. I bought her a Harley to match mine with a helmet and jacket. We were going ta sneak out and ride off ta Canada after the party. When I went ta get her ta leave, I couldn't find her. I called the others and we started searching. Chuck went ta Cerebro and tried ta find her telepathically. The entire team looked fer a month before Chuck said that he couldn't spare the manpower any more, but the Cajun and I kept looking. Remy gave up after three years but I kept looking. I never found her."

"Did you ask Star Fleet to help?"

"Jubes disappeared in 2008," he whispered.

"But," she gasped. That was over four hundred years ago. How was that possible? Was he a time traveler like Wesley?

"I'm a mutant." he said reading her confusion. "My power is ta heal from almost anything. I don't age."

"What year were you born in?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"1892, in Canada," he told her. "My parents named me James Howlett and that was the name I went by for the first fifteen years of my life. When my mutation manifested, I left home and became Logan. Been Logan ever since."

Deanna's head was spinning. He was an immortal human, never to die of old age, illness or wounds. He has lived through the most interesting and terrifying periods in history. He saw the advent of space travel from Mercury to the star ships of today. He was walking history. She had so many questions but she couldn't form a coherent sentence to save her life.

"Ya better go, darlin'," he told her. "We have a meetin' with yer Captain in the mornin'." He escorted her to the door and gently pushed her out, flipping the privacy switch as the door closed.

"You didn't tell her everything, Wolverine" a voice said from behind him. Logan spun in a crouch, ready for the attack. When he saw who was standing by the bed, he unfolded himself with a scowl of distaste.

"What are you doing here?" he growled. "I told ya I would call when I was ready."

"Just keeping an eye our for my second favorite human," the entity known as Q said as he picked up the photograph from the table. "Very pretty."

"Put it down," his eyes dangerously narrowed. Any other being would have dropped the picture and run from the room, frightened out of several years growth. Q, however, was not any other being.

"Don't threaten me, my feral friend," Q replied in kind.

"I ain't yer friend. I could just refuse ta do the mission and let ya deal with this on yer own."

Q replaced the photograph on the table. "Let's not be hasty, Wolverine. You know very well I can't interfere."

"The Continuium got ya by the balls, huh?" Q rolled his eyes at the crude euphemism.

"Why haven't you learned the language yet?" he asked.

"Don't want ta," Logan said as he popped a toothpick into his mouth. He had quit smoking 250 years ago when a blight destroyed all the tobacco plants on earth. He still missed it at times. "Why are ya here?"

"Picard and I go way back," Q said as he looked around the cabin. "You have my permission to inform him of the Q's involvement in your mission."

"I was going ta anyway," he jumped into the bed with a bounce. "I don't like anyone ta go into a mission blind. They need ta know what they're dealin' with."

"I don't want them involved, Wolverine. They're your transportation only. They stay out of the action."

"They'll be a target, no matter what. As long as they're in the area, Argon will find 'em."

"Argon isn't the problem."

"I know," Logan said quietly.

"Are you going to be able to do this?"

"I'll do it," he said harshly. "I'm the only one who can."

Q disappeared with a flash of light. Logan could have sworn he saw a look of pity as the omnipotent being vanished. He kicked off his boots and settled down for the night, knowing he would have nightmares that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 2

He was right about the nightmares. Over the years, he had come to terms with his past and the nightmares had all but disappeared. They only returned when he had been on a particularly rough mission or when he thought too long about Jubilee. The content of the dreams hadn't changed much. They were still mostly about what was done to him by the Weapon X project but after thinking about Jubilee, they changed. It was no longer him in the tank, it was Jubilee. She would be the one undergoing the adamantium bonding procedure, the surgeries, the brainwashing, and he could only watch and scream.

Several times, after having the nightmares, he had woken up to find he had ruptured his vocal cords during the night. The first time he had a nightmare while on board a star ship, he set off the intruder alarms. He had taken the precaution of instructing the computer to ignore any noise coming from his cabin since then. He had no further problems after that. He still had the nightmares but he didn't wake up the entire ship with them.

He woke feeling tired but his vocal cords were intact. He stretched and did his morning exercises, beginning to feel more normal. After a shower and a high protein breakfast, he left the cabin and headed for the briefing.

He arrived in the conference room shortly before 0900. There were several models of previous Enterprises on display in the room that drew his interest. He remembered a number of them. One, a late 20th century sub orbital shuttle, was the only one never to be used. The others saw long service for their owners. He stopped before the model of NCC 1701, the original Star Ship Enterprise, and glared at it.

The door swished open and he caught the distinctive scent of Riker.

"One of the more important pieces in the collection," Riker said as he came up behind him. "Her Captain was one of my idols when I was growing up."

"Kirk was a cowboy," Logan snorted. "I spent most of my time on the ship keeping him from getting his ass kicked."

"You were on the ship?" Riker asked doubtfully.

"I was a time displaced passenger," Logan told him without elaborating. The doors swished open again and the remaining senior staff entered en mass. Everyone quickly found seats and the briefing began. Logan found a seat next to Troy and immediately caught an unfamiliar scent. He quickly zeroed in on it. Jumping up, he grabbed the stranger by the hair and, placing his fist under the chin, popped his outsider claws, bracketing the face.

"Who are ya?" he growled dangerously.

"Logan," Picard cried. "Release Counselor Troy this instant." Worf leapt from his seat and dashed around the table, intent on stopping Logan. Wolverine released her head and brought his other fist to bear on Worf, popping all three claws. Worf stopped moving, eyes intent on the deadly claws.

"Tell me who ya are or yer going ta see the third claw, up close and personal."

The being masquerading as Troy gave an evil smile and began to morph. To the surprise of everyone but Wolverine, she transformed into a nude woman with green scales all over her body.

"Viper," he growled and brought his claws around and drove them into her side, piercing her heart. "Not this time." She exhaled in surprise as he dropped her body to the floor. He retracted his claws and stepped back, careful not to touch her blood.

He looked around the stunned room, his eyes landing on the doctor who was looking faintly green.

"Get a DNA sample but don't touch her blood," he instructed gruffly. "Her body fluids are poisonous ta humans. Do it quick like. They'll retrieve her body as soon as they know she's dead."

Beverly was too shocked to move. She had never seen anyone killed in such a manner before. Her entire body was trembling. She was even more surprised when the body vanished before her eyes; no transporter effect, just gone. Logan swore colorfully. The room exploded with noise.

"What were you thinking?" Riker demanded loudly. Logan winced from the noise, his ears ringing.

"Logan, we could have arrested her and kept her in the brig," Picard said angrily.

"No ya couldn't," Logan told him. "They coulda got her out of any cell ya put her in. They have a strong teleporter with 'em." He returned to his seat. "Ya better send someone ta check on the Counselor." Worf nodded and dispatched a team to find the missing Betazoid.

"Did you have to kill her?" Beverly demanded, still sick.

"She was sent ta kill all o' ya," he said as he popped a toothpick in his mouth. "That's her only function. She kills. I've been chasing her across the galaxy for five years. I have orders ta kill her on sight. Same with Argon."

"She could not have kill us," Worf announced, confident in his ability to protect his captain.

"You woulda died first," Logan told him. "I know how she worked. The strongest go first. Picard would have been last unless he gave her trouble. Don't think she wouldn't have been able ta get ya 'cause you're Klingon. She's killed more Klingons than humans. She was a good assassin but not good enough."

Deanna burst through the doors in a panic. "I couldn't wake up," she said breathlessly. "I was trapped in a nightmare and couldn't wake up."

"A telepath. They don't want ya dead yet," Logan said as he lead her to a chair. "Don't worry. Ya ain't missed nothin'. Don't touch the blood stains." She looked up at him startled.

"A meta morph assassin took yer place," he said as he sat down. "She's dead."

"Who and what are you?" Picard demanded roughly.

"My name is Logan," he began his story. "I'm a special agent for Star Fleet intelligence. I'm also a mutant."

"I thought mutants died out," Beverly said.

"Oh, we're still around," he said sourly. "Earth ain't the most welcomin' planet fer us. Most mutants left Earth soon as they could. Very few still live there. Most of us prefer ta stick to our own kind. Normals are still afraid of us."

"What does this mutation do?" she asked, fascinated.

"Different things fer different people. My mutation is sight, hearin' and smell well beyond the human norm as well as rapid healin'. I also have three bone claws in each forearm that I can control with my muscles." He popped the claws on his right hand with a soft 'snickt'.

Beverly got up and came around the table to take a closer look at the claws. "But they're not bone."

"I told ya humans and mutants don't get along. In the 20th and 21st century, we were used as lab rats by many a scientist. Sometime in the 20th century, I was kidnapped, drugged and used fer an experiment by the Canadian government. They bonded adamantium to my bones, erased my memories and programed me ta be a livin' weapon." He retracted his claws and the wounds healed instantly.

"Oh, my God!" LaForge whispered, appalled. The dark skinned engineer was actually gray. Geordie thought he would loose his breakfast right there on the table. He swallowed repeatedly, trying to control the nausea. Picard and Riker looked at him in confusion.

"Adamantium is the strongest metal in the known universe," Data stated in a matter of fact voice. "Once it hardens, it is indestructible and unworkable. It is very difficult to manufacture and even more difficult to work with. There is an eight minute window of opportunity after smelting to form it. The only way it could have been used to coat your bones was to inject it into your body in its molten state, at a temperature of 1500 degrees, Fahrenheit." Logan nodded in conformation.

"How could you survive such a barbaric procedure?" Beverly gasped. "You should have been burned to death during installation. If not then, the adamantium should have poisoned you in the first year."

"I heal," Logan told her. "My body fights the poison every day. My healing factor is so active that I replace every cell in my body every five days. The adamantium is the reason I've lived so long."

"If your healing factor is that active, how did they keep you anesthetized for the procedure?" Deanna asked.

"They didn't," he growled. A confused stream of memories flashed through his mind of the torture they put him through. Deanna had, unfortunately, tuned her mind into his as soon as he began to describe his past. She saw the memories along with him. She gasped in horror and ran for the briefing room head, her hand clamped over her mouth.

They heard her retching as she emptied her stomach. Riker leapt up from his chair and rushed to the door of the head. "Deanna, are you alright?" he called through the door.

"Musta saw my memories," Logan said, worried. "They ain't pretty. She's gonna have nightmares fer a while." He glanced back at the faces surrounding him. The looks ranged from nausea, to horror. Data was the only one not affected by his words. He only looked curious. "Don't feel bad fer me. I've had centuries ta work it out in my mind. The counselor isn't gonna sleep well fer quite a while, though."

"Your memories are that bad?" LaForge asked weakly.

"I've lived nearly five hundred years," Logan informed them. "Most of 'em spent fightin' fer my life or the lives of others. Of course I have some ugly memories."

"Don't you have any good memories?" Riker asked.

"Yeah, sure I do," he said. "Five of my seven wives, the births of my daughters and grandchildren, my friends. But ya have ta realize, I've outlived everyone I ever got close ta. I've watched them grow up, make something of themselves, grow old and die while I stayed young and healthy. The good memories are overlaid by sadness."

"What about Jubilee," Deanna asked as she came out of the head, nodding to Riker. "She seems to be a something of a good memory."

"Jubilee ain't a subject fer discussion," Logan growled, eyes narrow with warning. Deanna stopped and looked at him, questions forming in her mind. She saw the angry glare and decided not to ask them. His old partner was still a sore subject for him.

"Is Argon a mutant?" Picard asked as Riker escorted Troy to her seat.

"I don't think so," Logan said, welcoming the change of subject. "I think he's human but has a ship full of mutants that took ta him."

"What mutations are we dealing with?" Riker asked as he returned to his seat.

"We know he had a shape shifter. We also know he has a telepath and a teleporter but Argon and his crew ain't the problem."

"He's responsible for the deaths of over 1000 beings," Riker protested. "How can he not be the problem?"

"He has a passenger," Logan told them. "Her name is Dimetria Grey. She's the present host for the Phoenix Force."

"What is the Phoenix Force?" Data asked.

"It's a cosmic entity of unlimited power and potential," he told him. "I first encountered it when it possessed a good friend of mine in the late 20th century. It's impossible ta control and has a cravin' fer suns. Not long after it arrived on Earth, it took off and ate a sun sixty light years from Sol. The sun went supernova and killed five billion inhabitants of a planet in orbit around it. Phoenix doesn't care if the system has life or not. It only craves the power."

"Is there any way to contain it?" Beverly asked.

"No, and I've asked some of the most powerful beings in the galaxy."

"What about the Q," Picard asked. "They claim to be all powerful."

"They came ta me for help," Logan told him. "They don't know what ta do with her."

"I said you could inform them of our involvement, not insult us," Q pouted as he appeared in a flash of light.

"But you're such an easy target," Riker sneered. Worf began to growl menacingly. The scent of anger rose in the room. Logan was surprised that no one feared Q. They hated him. He started to feel much better about the mission. If these people weren't afraid of Q, they would keep their heads around mutants.

Q scowled at Logan as he snickered. "I have a message from the Continuium," he said. "We have a way of containing Phoenix."

"What's the catch?" Logan asked suspiciously.

"The host must be dead before the Phoenix will leave," said Q. "There can't be any remaining force echo left behind for her to use as a beacon to pull her back."

"I figured I'd hafta kill the host," Logan said.

"It's not that easy, Wolverine," Q warned. "The host is pregnant. The infant must also die."

"Shit!" Logan swore. "I won't kill a kid."

"The baby is the last of the Grey line. If she dies, you won't have to deal with Phoenix again."

"I don't care if she's the daughter of Apocalypse, I don't kill children!" Logan growled. "Find another way."

"There is no other way," Q insisted.

"Picard, you've dealt with these yahoos before." Picard nodded. "They don't have any imagination, right?" Picard once again nodded, his eyes widening in comprehension.

"No, they don't."

"Who's the most imaginative crewman ya have?"

"Barclay," Deanna supplied.

"Send him with this dick ta work up another plan." Picard nodded to Riker, smiling.

"Mr. Barclay, report to the briefing room," Riker ordered with a tap to his comm badge.

"You aren't going to insist I take that nervous dweeb back with me are you?" Q whined.

"Yer gonna do it or I'll order this ship back ta Earth," Logan growled.

"Jean Luc won't let you," sneered Q. "He's very territorial."

"Actually, I would have no choice." Picard informed him.

"Logan became the ranking officer the moment he stepped on board," Data supplied. "As an intelligence officer, he holds the field rank of Admiral of the Fleet. His orders can only be countermanded by the Federation Council."

Q rocked back on his heals and stared down at Logan, a sneer on his face. "You've come a long way from those flunkies, the X-Men, Wolverine." The name was said as an insult.

Logan jumped from his chair, claws extended, his entire body radiating threat. "Say what ya want about me but never dis the X-Men," he growled. "We did a lot of good."

"You got a lot of people killed," Q countered. "Did you ever think that mutants weren't supposed to survive? That maybe, they were supposed to be exterminated during the genetic purges of the 20th and 21st centuries? You and your friends didn't change anything. The only reason you aren't hunted to this day is that most mutants chose to leave Earth in the late 21st century and most humans aren't aware that there are still mutants living there. If they were, you and your family would be hunted again. Maybe that pretty great-granddaughter of yours would be used as a lab rat as you were."

The words dug deep into Logan's heart. He had a tenuous hold on his temper and was struggling to keep the beast from exploding.

"Keep Jeannie out of it," Logan growled.

Barclay chose that moment to enter the briefing room and was confronted by a very angry Wolverine and a nearly as hostile Q. He gulped in fear.

"You Barclay?" Logan barked. Barclay nodded nervously. "Go with this dick head and find a way ta contain the Phoenix Force without killin the baby. Ya got five days."

"Take him and go, Q," Picard told him. "We will do our part." Q bowed to the room at large and he and Barclay vanished.

The room was silent for several minutes except for the sound of Logan's ragged breathing. Worf knew that to touch him now was to invite death.

"Logan?" Deanna finally broke the silence. She could feel the rage pouring off of him in waves. She took a step toward the angry man. Logan growled in warning.

"Do not touch him," Worf warned. "Allow him to regain control."

Suddenly, Wolverine was thrown against the wall and held there by an unseen force.

"Is everyone all right?" a womans' voice asked from the door. Everyone spun around to look. She was a girl of maybe twenty years old. She was dressed in science department blue and was holding her arm straight out toward Logan, who was still hanging on the wall.

"Who are you?" Riker demanded.

"Lt. Regina Williams, sir," she replied.

"What are you doing to Logan?" Picard asked.

"Um..." she flushed.

"She's telekinetic," Logan growled from his position on the wall. "Let me down girl. I'm back in control."

"Yes sir." Logan dropped to the floor with a thump.

"Yer probably a telepath as well," he speculated as he got up.

"Yes sir," she replied, looking at her feet.

"Don't worry girl. I'm a mutant too. I ain't gonna turn ya in and I'll order the rest ta keep their mouths shut."

"Lt. Williams, is that how you prevented the hull breach in sick bay?" Picard asked. She nodded miserably. "Excellent work Lieutenant. I have put in for a commendation for you. The record states that you have no idea how it happened and I see no reason to alter that, so long as you never submit to tests to determine what you did."

She smiled in relief. "Thank you sir."

"Dismissed, and thank you for your help." he told her. She slipped out of the room.

"Worf," Logan called. "Ya got a holo deck on this tub. I need a workout."


	3. Chapter 3

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 3

Regina Williams practically ran back to sick bay, she was so frightened. The Captain and Dr. Crusher know she's a mutant. She wouldn't have done it except the rage and the animalistic desire to kill she felt coming from the briefing room had overwhelmed her. Her reaction was automatic. She had trained for ten years to use her powers to protect others. With that much training, her response was like a reflex.

When she entered the briefing room, she saw the short, heavily muscled man who was emitting rage in thick waves and simply reacted. Regina recognized him the instant she got a good look at him. Unfortunately, he was hanging from her TK hook on the wall of the briefing room when she made the connection. She had seen his portrait daily while she was in school. He was Wolverine, one of the X-Men and the only one still alive. He was a legend at the school.

"Williams?" Time to face the music.

"Dr. Crusher," she said as she turned.

"May I see you in my office?" Regina swallowed nervously and nodded.

Beverly lead the frightened girl into her private office off the main sick bay. Motioning her to take a seat, she walked around the desk and sat down.

"First off," Beverly began, "I have no intention of mentioning your abilities to anyone else. What is said in here is kept in the strictest confidence." Regina nodded, still very nervous. "What I would like to know is why you didn't tell me in the first place?"

"Dr. Crusher," she pleaded with her eyes, "I have been taught never to reveal my powers to anyone unless I can trust them with my life or if a life is in danger. Mutants aren't considered members of the Federation"

"But you were born on Earth and you're human," Beverly protested.

"No, I'm not. According to Federation Charter, mutants aren't human. We are specifically excepted."

"You're not kidding, are you?" Regina shook her head sadly.

"I'm not a citizen of the Federation and not entitled to its protection."

"But that doesn't mean that you're entitled to persecution!" Beverly was aghast at the treatment they had received. First the barbaric procedures Logan had been forced to endure, now the refusal of citizenship to an excellent nurse. "Regina, this leaves me with a dilemma. As a non citizen, you can't be commissioned in Star Fleet, but your skills are invaluable to this ship. People are going to start asking question about the attack. We have to find a way to explain without revealing your powers. I won't loose a good nurse simply because of other peoples' prejudices."

"Are you suggesting that I lie?"

"Well," Beverly said embarrassed, "maybe not lie. Just omit a few facts and suggest others."

"You have an idea?" Regina asked, intrigued. Beverly nodded, her eyes gleaming with merriment.

Worf and Logan stood in the middle of the empty Holo deck, arguing about what scenario they were going to use. Logan wanted to use one from the Danger Room he had used many years ago. Worf wanted to use a scout ship sim that he had been using for the past month. He felt they should train for terrain. Logan felt that they should plan for numbers and powers since they had no way of knowing the floor plan of the ship. Riker, who had followed them, finally ended the argument by suggesting a neutral setting.

"Fine," Logan barked. "Computer, Japanese dojo with a selection of katanas." The room shimmered as a dojo formed, a bamboo rack with six swords appeared. He lifted a plain blade with an ivory handle and tested the balance. "Ya know swords, Worf?" He discarded the sword and looked over the rest. His eyes lit up when he saw the blade at the end. A medium length, steel sword with a battered, leather wrapped handle. He hefted the blade and found its balance perfect.

"I have used bladed weapons many times," Worf said. "You have chosen the only katana that is of any value." Logan cocked an eyebrow at him. He looked at Worf thoughtfully for a short time then turned the sword around and passed it to the surprised Klingon, handle first.

"Riker, have someone go ta my quarters and bring my swords," he ordered. Worf grasped the handle and took the sword as Logan released the blade. "I prefer ta use my own anyway."

Five minutes later, a security guard walked into the Holo deck carrying a long black box embossed with gold characters. Riker recognized them as Japanese but couldn't read them. When Logan snapped open the box, Rikers' breath caught in his throat.

The Katanas were beautiful: gleaming silver blades with Ebony handles. Japanese characters marched down the blades of both weapons. They looked to be very old but in pristine condition. There was a square of cloth in a stasis container that appeared to be stained with blood.

"They're beautiful," Riker breathed. "Where did you get them?"

"They were a gift," Logan told them. He didn't elaborate. Thinking of Mariko still had the power to make his breath catch, even after over four hundred years. He lifted the long sword out of the box with care and closed the top.

Worf and Logan warmed up for what seemed to Riker to be a very long time. Finally, they were ready. Standing on opposite sides of the mat, they flicked their swords up in the traditional salute and bowed. They both took a defensive stance and began to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of the other.

Logan knew the Klingon had him in reach, but there was no way Worf could match his experience. Reach meant nothing without experience to back it up. Logan had been Samurai many years ago and was Ronin now. He had never stopped training with the katana. He knew his blade as well as he knew his own body. With the katana in his hand, it became part of him, an extension of his deadly claws. He knew he would win but the Klingon should give him a good fight.

Riker watched as they circled each other, their eyes watching for any sign of attack. He had spared with Worf many times and knew the burly Klingon was a master of the blade. Logan was an unknown but his balance and posture telegraphed his abilities with the sword. Riker believed that this battle would be worth watching. He made his way to the door and put in a call to the Captain.

Logan heard the murmured request by Riker and smiled to himself. He didn't usually like an audience but it appeared that he needed to prove something to Riker. He wants a battle, he'll get one. Logan flicked his katana slightly, drawing Worf in and forcing him to attack. The Klingon fell for the tactic and rushed in. Logan quickly parried the blade and launched his own attack, holding back, testing. He was good, Logan had to admit. Most Klingons were.

The door opened to admit Picard. The audience was assembled. Time to start the show. Logan jumped up and flipped over the surprised Klingon, reaching down with his katana to tag the big Security Chief on the shoulder. He landed several feet behind Worf in the perfect position to land a killing strike but held off. It was too soon. Worf glanced in surprise at the blood dripping from his shoulder.

"First blood ta me," Logan growled. "Are ya done playin?" Worf growled and renewed his attack. "Ya can't hurt me so go ahead and try ta kill me. I promise I won't hurt ya too bad."

Worf attacked with a series of viscous thrusts. Logan swept aside every one of them. He toyed with the Klingon for the amusement of his audience. Finally, after an hour of sword play, Logan saw that Worf was beginning to tire. Time to end the show. He moved in close and with a jab to his exposed stomach with the butt of his sword, brought Worf to his knees. Logan placed his katana on the back of Worf's neck and stopped.

"Do ya yield, Klingon?" he asked. Worf was panting with exertion.

"I yield to the master," he announced in a breathless voice. Logan nodded in satisfaction and lifted the blade.

"Yer good," Logan complimented Worf, "but no one has touched me with a blade in over a hundred years."

He helped his sparing partner up and shook his hand. Worf surprised him and bowed very low.

"I would be honored to learn from you," Worf said.

"Ya already know everything I could teach ya," Logan told him. "Ya just need more experience." He walked back to his sword crate, wiping his blade on his shirt.

"That is the most impressive show of swordsmanship I have ever witnessed," Riker said as he and Picard came over. "Where did you study?"

"I was taught by a Samurai master in Japan some time in the 1960's, I think," Logan told him as he replaced the katana in the box. "I don't have memories of the time but I met the man later in my life. I was forced ta kill him after he brainwashed one of my teammates and turned her inta an assassin."

"Why did you taunt Mr. Worf?" Picard asked. "If he had injured you, it could be some time before you could complete your mission."

Logan looked at him with a twinkle in his eyes and a half smile on his lips. He rolled up his left sleeve to bare his forearm and, popping a single claw on his right hand, brought it down and sliced the skin on his forearm deeply. Blood welled up from the laceration but before it could fall, the cut sealed over and stopped bleeding. In less than ninety seconds, there was a fading white line where once was a deep cut. He looked into Picards astonished eyes with mirth.

"I heal," he said simply and, picking up his sword case, left the Holo deck to return to his cabin.

"That's a handy mutation," Riker commented when he could speak. Picard could only nod his head.

An hour later, after a shower and a change of clothes, Logan found himself in the officers mess for lunch. He selected a steak, rare, and a baked potato. The food unit added a salad without him asking for it. He frowned at the greenery, disgusted. He found an empty table and sat down. He hated the processed 'meat' that was served in space. It was one of the main reasons he never went on long space flights if he could avoid them. His body needed meat from animal sources to function properly.

Most people were nauseated when they found out that he still ate meat and frequently hunted his own meals. He owned a small ranch in Alberta where he raised beef for his own consumption but would sell some of it to other carnivores. Most of the time, they were decedents of his that had mutations similar to his own. Feral mutants needed real meat.

He was nearly finished with his meal when he caught the scent of Lt. Williams approaching the table.

"May I sit?" she asked.

"Ya can do what ya want, darlin'," he told her. He leaned back in his chair and studied her. She was older than he first thought, maybe twenty-five. She had passed for normal long enough to build a career in Star Fleet and she appeared happy where she was.

"Where did ya learn control?" he asked.

"I went to a school in New York," she said after swallowing. "They taught me control over my powers and how to shield my mind."

"Xaviers?" he asked. She nodded. "I taught there a long time ago."

"I know," she said, smiling. "Your portrait hangs in the Danger Room corridor, snarling over us as we went for training."

"It's still there?" He was surprised. He figured that the headmasters wouldn't want to be associated with him. He wasn't what you would call a good role model.

"Mr. Wetzel used to tell us that if we didn't keep our minds on training when we were in the Danger Room, he would introduce us to you. Most of us didn't believe you were still alive until you sent a shipment of beef with a signed note saying it was to be given to the ferals. After that, we all believed."

"Wetzel called me and told me that the ferals weren't thrivin' like they should. Did he get a closer supplier?"

"He did better than that. He put aside 200 acres of his own land for grazing so we could raise our own. I loved working the ranch. It was quiet. Most of the time I had too many voices in my head to think. When I was on the range, I could hear myself think. The school is self sufficient now. They grow everything they need except cloth."

"Sounds like a good life."

"It was," she sighed. "I miss it. There are too many minds smashing against my shields all the time now. I try to go on as many away missions as I can just to get away from the noise."

"Ya shouldn't hafta do that, darlin'," he said. "Ya shoulda been taught how ta build stronger shields." He studied her closely with his eyes and his nose. "Charles Xavier one of yer ancestors?"

"Yes," she said surprised. "How did you know?"

"Ya have his eyes," he smiled. "Ya also have a mix of his scent and his wifes. It's not strong but it's there."

"You knew him?" she squeaked.

"I was an X-Man from the 1970's ta the mutant exodus of 2092. Chuck started the X-Men. He showed me a trick that shielded me from some very powerful telepaths, including him. If yer half the telepath he was, ya should be able ta do it. Like me ta show ya?"

"Would I ever," she exclaimed.

"When do ya get off duty?"

"1500 hours."

"Meet me in my cabin at 1600 hours and I'll show ya how a real telepath does it." He rose and took his tray to the wall unit. It disappeared in a fizzle of transporter effect before he was out of the door.

He spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship. He had never been on a Galaxy class ship before and was impressed with the amenities. It's not every ship that has an adequate substitute for the Danger Room.

He hadn't realized how much he depended on the fights in the Danger Room until he left the Institute. Desperation lead him back to cage fighting in Canada for about fifty years until holographic technology made its way to Earth. As soon as he could, he added a holographic training room to his home. Some of the programs he stole from the Institute during one of his many guest lecture trips. Kitty had taught him how to program holograms a few years before she died. He was able to program new scenarios thanks to her. He never got bored as long as he could maintain the equipment.

It wasn't a fight he needed now, it was a drink. The ship itself was very helpful and directed him to Ten Forward. Gotta love a star ship that has its own bar.

The scent that wafted through the door of the lounge was not alcohol. 'Crap,' he thought. 'Synthahol. There's gotta be some real stuff here somewhere. I can smell it.'

He found a seat at the bar. The room was light on company at this time of day. Most of the officers were on duty. Several of the tables were occupied but the one that drew his eye had a Vulcan female sitting at it, drinking what appeared to be tea.

"Gimme a beer," he told the bar keep. "And make it a real one. None of that Synthahol crap."

"I have to clear it with Guinan," the man said as he scooted behind the bar. He noticed the Vulcan rise from her chair and make her way over to him. He was a little surprised. Vulcans don't usually seek out company, especially the females.

"You are Logan," she stated.

"That's right darlin'," he said. "What can I do fer ya?"

"I am Dr. Solar," she introduced herself. "Dr. Crusher told me about your mutation. I am curious. What is the gene pair that resulted in your abilities?"

"Have no idea," he said. "You a scientist?"

"Yes," she replied.

"I don't like scientists," he growled. "Spent too much time as their subject."

"I meant no offense," she apologized. "I have a scientists curiosity."

"Wolverine?" a gasp came from behind him. He turned to find a short black woman staring at him like she'd seen a ghost.

"Do I know you?" he asked. He gave a discrete sniff: not human. He wasn't familiar with her race but her scent was vaguely familiar. She must be one of the orphan races that the Borg nearly wiped out.

"I'm Guinan. We met in Central Park in the early 21st century. Sentinels attacked a group of mutants who were camped in the park. Your team saved them. I was walking in the park with a friend and nearly got squashed by a falling robot. You pushed me out of the way and took the hit yourself. I was extremely surprised to see you crawl out from under the wreckage. We stayed to make sure no one was hurt and you introduced yourselves to us. I never forget a face, or a good deed."

"I'm sorry, darlin'. I don't remember the mission."

"I wouldn't expect you to. You went on a lot of rescue missions. You couldn't possibly remember a short tussle in the park with two Sentinels."

"Well, if no one got hurt, I usually don't remember the mission."

"But someone did get hurt," she told him. "The little Chinese girl was hurt bad. I didn't see her injuries but you carried her to the plane."

"Oh, I remember that mission," he exclaimed. "Jubilee got stepped on by one of those walking junk heaps. She had me worried fer a time but she was okay. Just a broken arm and a concussion."

Guinan drew him a beer from the tap and placed it before him. "The real stuff, as you asked." He downed it quickly.

"Keep em comin'," he told her. Guinan nodded to the barkeep. She moved out from behind the counter and took a seat beside him. Solar took the seat on his other side.

"The girl looked too young to be running with the X-Men," Guinan said.

"Jubilee was about nineteen during that mission," he said as he continued to drink the beers placed in front of him. "She joined up with us at thirteen."

"You allowed a thirteen year old child to go with you on dangerous missions?" Solar asked in a way only a Vulcan could ask. Her disapproval was clear.

"Even at thirteen, Jubilee was a very powerful mutant and an asset to the team. As she grew up, she grew into her power. Before she disappeared, she was classified as an Alpha level mutant. It's important that a powerful mutant be trained from an early age ta control their powers and ta face up ta their responsibilities. An Omega mutant can easily destroy entire worlds." Solar could feel the pain he was radiating. He cared for this girl.

"What could she do?" Guinan asked, fascinated.

"She was pyrotechnic. She could detonate matter on a subatomic level. She had to be careful not ta split atoms."

"She was a nuclear bomb?" Guinan gasped.

"Essentially, yeah," he said. "Most of the time, she manifested as fireworks but when she'd loose her temper, she could blow up buildings. She was a hell of a partner." His voice trailed off as he became lost in the memories, some of them good, some of them not so good..

Guinan noticed her bartender holding up four fingers, indicating the number of beers he had served to him.

"I have to cut you off, Wolverine," she said. "You've reached your limit."

"Not hardly, darlin'," he said draining his glass. "With my healin' factor, there ain't enough alcohol on this ship ta get me drunk. I clear it too fast. A lot of feral mutants need alcohol ta keep their bodies functioning. I need more than most ta clear the adamantium from my blood."

"Why is that?" Solar asked.

"Alcohol binds ta adamantium," he explained. "If I don't have several drinks a day, I begin ta feel slow and achy. I eventually clear it but the alcohol clears it faster." He saw the questions race across Guinan's face. "It's a long story. Give me two more then I hafta leave."

He returned to his quarters shortly before 1600 hours. He found Lt. Williams standing outside his door, waiting for him.

"Yer early," he said as he keyed open the door and led her inside.

"I had a bad day," she said, the strain clear in her eyes. "A crewman was hurt in engineering and the entire shift escorted him to sick bay. Their worry and confusion nearly paralyzed me."

"Let's see if we can't fix that problem," he told her. He pulled a small silver orb from a drawer and placed it on the floor. Sitting down next to it, he waved Regina down beside him and activated the unit. "This is a portable psi shield. I use it when I need absolute privacy. It'll block all telepathic intrusion no matter how powerful the telepath."

"Why don't you carry it all the time?" she asked.

"You'll see," he smiled. "It'll give ya a splitting headache after about an hour. We won't need it fer that long."

She curled up on the floor and made herself comfortable in her meditation pose. Taking three cleansing breaths, she cleared her mind. The noise was completely gone. She couldn't even feel Logan's mind and he was sitting beside her. She hadn't been this alone since her powers manifested at twelve. Her eyes flew open in fright.

"I don't much care for this," she told him. "I feel so alone."

"It's necessary," he said. "Ya need ta tear down yer old shields ta build new ones. Without the portable shield, the noise would drive ya insane pretty quick. I want ya ta take me in yer mind and let me see what ya built."

She closed her eyes and concentrated on his mind, pulling him into hers. She found him standing on the astral plane next to the fluttering fabric that represented her shield.

"This is what they taught ya ta build?" he asked. She nodded. "Pifft." He was disgusted. He'd seen better shields in nontelepaths. "Tear it down," he ordered.

"But that would leave me without shields," she protested.

"This is worse than no shields," he countered. "This is a false sense of security. No wonder the voices keep gettin' through. Trust me, darlin'. I've been dealin' with telepaths fer a long time. I'll help ya replace them with much stronger shields but ya need ta tear these down first. They'll be in the way."

"Okay," she said as she began to pull the fabric down. It didn't take long. The fabric was weak all over and in some places, there were holes in it.

"Someone's been in yer mind that shouldn't be," he remarked, looking at the holes.

"How can I stop them?" she asked, shaken.

He flicked out a claw. "Look closely at the metal." She leaned over and peered at the gleaming claw. "Set it in yer mind and begin ta build yer shield but this time, use the image of the metal. Use its strength."

Slowly, a wall began to form. "Adamantium is unbreakable. Use that property ta make yer shield strong." The wall began to climb upward. "Make a complete circle around yer mind." The gleaming wall spread out, moving faster. Soon, the circle was complete. The shield was strong and tall. She would never have to worry about anyone getting into her head again without her knowledge. "Now ya need ta build two ports in the wall. One is one way, so ya can use yer power. The other will be two way so ya can bond with yer mate."

"Is that necessary?" she asked. "The second port?"

"Telepaths naturally form a bond with their mates. Without it, ya won't be happy."

Two ports appeared in the wall. He was impressed with her ability to build the shield so fast. Most telepaths would have to work on it for several hours before perfecting the technique. She was well trained and very strong.

"We've been at this a while," he told her. "We need ta leave before the headache starts."

She relaxed her hold on his mind and they returned to the room. He reached over and turned off the portable shield. Silence greeted her. She felt the pulse of life around her but not the thoughts of her fellow crew members.

She launched herself at him with a small shriek of delight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said, raining kisses all over his face. The last one landed on his lips and lingered. She raised her head and looked at him with hooded eyes. Slowly, she lowered her face and reclaimed his lips. She felt his hand tangle in her hair as he deepened the kiss, his tongue demanding entrance. Her body began to heat. His hand brushed over her breast. She shivered in reaction as her nipple hardened. Her hand tangled in his hair and pulled him closer. His lips left hers to nibble on her shoulder.

"We shouldn't do this," he murmured into her neck.

"Why," she shivered as his tongue traced the hollow of her throat.

"Yer shields are too new. Ya don't want ta form a bond with me." He rolled her over and returned to her mouth. He could smell her arousal. The animal in him growled in anticipation.

"I can control it," she gasped.

"Not yet," he whispered. He reluctantly lifted himself off of her body and stood. "Ya better go now."

"But..." Her skin was still flushed with desire.

"Trust me on this. It's how I ended up with my fourth wife."

She most certainly didn't want to marry him so she nodded and left.

He watched with regret as her enticing backside went through the door. If her shields weren't so new, he probably would have indulged in her body but he couldn't take that chance. His fourth marriage was living hell and when she died, he went through a mental trauma he never wanted to repeat. If it weren't for the bond, he would have left her after the first week of verbal abuse. The sex kept him near. He had never in his life felt anything like it, making love to someone body and mind.

He needed a cold shower.


	4. Chapter 4

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 4

"I did say he was dangerous," Riker was saying to LaForge as they worked on a phaser control panel. "He took Worf apart today. He could have killed him at least eight times that I saw. I hope he never invites me to train with him. I don't think my ego could stand the blow."

"He's really that good?" Geordie asked as he locked down a coil.

"The only one of us who would have a chance of surviving an attack from him would be Data and I'm not too sure of that. If he's looked into Data's records, and I'm sure he has, he would know how to beat him."

"He has not accessed my file as far as I am aware," Data said.

"That doesn't mean much," Geordie said. "He has intelligence credentials. He can delete any mention of his presence from the computer logs." He closed the panel with a click. "That one's done."

Data stepped up to it, entered a code and the lights flashed on. Then with a sizzle and crack, immediately went back off. Smoke poured from the ailing panel.

"Damn," Geordie swore. "I'm going to have to rewire the entire thing." He pulled open the panel and waved the smoke away so he could look inside.

"Don't you think it's a little odd?" Riker asked Geordie as he sat down to get a better look inside the panel. "He's centuries old. He probably owns property on Earth and a dozen other planets. Why does he still fight? Why doesn't he retire and do what ever he wants?"

"Dr. Crusher has the answer to that," Data told him. "Mutants are not members of the Federation and every time they have petitioned for membership, the counsel has turned them down. Mutants cannot be citizens of the Federation even if they were born on Earth. The Federation Charter considers them non human terrorists and refuses to allow them even the most basic rights as living beings. On several planets, it is legal to own mutants as slaves and the Federation condones this. There is a passage in the Charter that is similar to the Dread-Scott decision of the 19th century. Any runaway mutant slave is to be returned to the owner immediately."

LaForge and Riker were looking up at him with growing horror. "You have got to be kidding," Geordie whispered. "That can't be going on now."

"I admit, I'm not the familiar with the basic charter but I have trouble believing that a law like that exists today," Riker said.

"Article two, paragraph thirteen C of the Federation Charter," Data confirmed. "Mutants are specifically excluded from citizenship forever."

"I know what I'm going to be doing with my free time," Geordie said with growing anger. "Doing my best to get that law repealed."

"Are you willing to sacrifice your career for them?" Riker asked.

"Aren't you?" Geordie demanded as he slammed the tool he was working with down. "I can't let this pass. My own family history was a struggle for the most basic of human rights and I can't stand by and let it happen again." Geordie jumped up and stomped over to the supply closet, still very angry.

"I'm not sure I can risk it," Riker said to Data. "No one has been able to challenge the basic charter without destroying their career."

"Then I would suggest you not assist Geordie and myself," Data told him. "Reluctant help is worst than no help."

"You're going to get involved?" Riker was aghast.

"I am," Data confirmed. "It was not that long ago that my own rights as a living being were challenged. We were able to prove that I am self aware and have the right to decide for myself what happens to my person. Mutants do not have that right."

"I'll think about it," Riker promised.

"Bridge to Mr. Riker," the comm officers voice came over his badge.

"Riker here."

"Sir, we are receiving a distress signal from a Ferengi merchant ship five light years from our position."

"On my way." He left engineering still thinking about what Data had told them.

"They had a core breach and had to jettison the warp core. They report that life support is out and they have two hours of breathable air left." Worf reported.

"What is the crew compliment of the ship?" Riker asked.

"Five crew and the Daemon," Worf said. "Sensors also report two humans on board. The Ferengi deny this."

"Assemble a rescue party," he instructed Worf. "Ask Logan if he wants to go along."

"Yes sir," Worf exited the Bridge and went to assemble the boarding party.

Logan was always on guard when beaming into a strange ship but he was more alert than ever this time. The Ferengi were notoriously tricky to deal with and would take any opportunity to screw you over royally. He hated dealing with them. The only one he found to be slightly trustworthy was Quark and Logan trusted him as long as he kept his hand on his wallet. He took a deep sniff of the air as they materialized on the transporter platform of the Ferengi ship.

"Two humans," he told Worf. "One will be dead before we get there. The other..." He stopped. The scent was familiar. "Oh God!" he whispered. He was off the platform and out of the door before anyone else could move.

"Where is he going?" one of the guards asked.

"I don't know," Worf said. "I will follow him. The rest of you gather the survivors." He ran after Logan without acknowledgment of his orders.

"Worf to Enterprise," he said, tapping his comm badge. "Logan is acting strangely. I am following him." He saw the feral mutant disappear down an access tube ahead of him. Worf followed. He could hear the man growling fiercely. 'What is going on?' he thought.

He followed Logan through the corridors of the merchant ship with ease. The mutant was not trying to loose him. He heard the man mutter occasionally but the only thing he heard clearly was "If she's dead, these sonovabitches will die with her." Worf was becoming very nervous. If Logan were to slip into a killing rage, there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Logan stopped several times to sniff the air, backtracking twice, all the while leading Worf deeper into the bowels of the ship. By the time they came to a time locked security door in the cargo area, Worf was hopelessly lost.

"We can't get through the door," Worf gasped, trying to catch his breath. "We did not bring munitions."

Logan popped all of his claws and began to tear into the Titanium door, slicing it with ease. He tore a hole large enough for them to enter the room without cutting themselves. He stopped just inside the door and sniffed again. Turning right, he ran down a corridor of locked rooms until he came to a door hidden in the shadows. The door fell to his claws quickly and he rushed into the room.

There were two humans lying naked on a cold floor that was covered with excrement and rotten food. The boy, no older than fifteen was obviously dead, his skin was waxy and pale. The girl was alive but just barely. Logan had gathered her into his arms and was crying softly, rocking her back and forth. Worf had no idea who the girl was but she needed medical attention quickly or she would also die. He tapped his comm badge.

"Beam Logan and the girl directly to sick bay," he barked. The pair disappeared in a twinkle of lights. "The body of the boy is two meters directly in front of me. Beam him to stasis."

"What is going on there?" Riker demanded. The body vanished.

"I don't know sir," Worf answered. "But if the Ferengi are responsible for this, they have much to answer for."

"The survivors are on board. Are you ready to beam back?"

"I wish to stay and investigate this," Worf requested.

"One hour," Riker told him. "Air is getting thin over there. When you reach CO2 saturation, you have to beam back."

"Understood," he said. "Worf out."

When Logan appeared in sick bay in a shower of lights, Beverly gasped in surprise. No one had informed her of any injuries. The feral mutant lifted his cargo carefully into a bio bed as Crusher rushed over to evaluate her patient.

"What happened to her?" Beverly asked him.

"I don't know," he replied not taking his eyes off the still body. "I found her in a cargo cell."

"Who is she?" Regina asked.

"Jubilee," he growled.

Regina's head popped up in surprise. "I thought you said..."

"We never found a body," he told her. "Is she going to be all right?"

"She's malnourished and dehydrated. There is evidence of severe beatings. She has several fractures that were improperly set and internal injuries," Beverly told him.

"She's withdrawn," Regina said as she slipped out of the girls mind.

"What?" Beverly asked.

"She's hiding in a small corner of her mind," Regina explained. "When a person is abused severely over a period of time, they withdraw into their minds. I will need to draw her back out. Logan, she doesn't know me. I don't think I'm going to be able to coax her out."

"Take me with you," he begged. "I think I can get her to come out."

"Dr. Crusher?" Regina looked at her commander.

"Let me finish my examination before you do anything." She ran a scanner over the girl. "I need to stop the internal bleeding first. She's dangerously anemic. I'll need to give her a transfusion."

"Jubes and I have the same blood type," Logan said. "I can be yer doner. My healing factor won't hurt her, either." She ran a scanner over Logans body.

"You're right," she said surprised. "How did you know?"

"Jubilee was my only partner," he told her. "I've given her blood before."

"Okay," she agreed. "I'll set up for the transfusion. You can do the mind probe while the blood is being infused."

Five hours later, Jubilee was stable enough to attempt the mind probe. He was sitting in a chair beside Jubilee's bed watching two units of his blood drip into her arm. Regina was sitting in front of him preparing to escort him into Jubilee's mind.

"This may not be pleasant," she warned him. "We will be passing by some of her memories. I've read some of the reports of the things she went through. They were not happy stories. She was tremendously abused as a child."

"I know some of them," he said. "Jubilee would always talk ta me before talkin' to anyone else."

"I don't think you understand. We will be going by her memories of Bastion and the Church of Humanity. Are you prepared to relive those memories?"

"If it'll save Jubilee, I'll walk through hell."

"Okay," she agreed. "Drop your outer shields so I can enter your mind."

He parted his outer shields and felt Regina's deft touch as she entered his mind. 'Let's go,' he told her.

Deanna entered the sick bay ten minutes after Regina and Logan went in search of Jubilee's conscious mind.

"What are they doing?" she asked Beverly.

"Regina and Logan are attempting to draw her out. She evidently has retreated into her mind."

"Regina I can understand but why Logan? He's not a telepath."

"He knows the girl. He said her name was Jubilee."

Deanna visibly started. "What?" Beverly asked.

"Jubilee was his partner," Deanna said. "She's from the 21st century."

"Oh crap," Beverly swore. She hit her comm badge. "Crusher to Picard."

"Picard here," came the reply.

"I think you'd better come down here. I have a time displaced patient."

"On my way," he replied.

"How could she still be alive?" Deanna asked. "She disappeared on her twenty-fifth birthday. It devastated Logan. He searched for her for ten years but never could find a trace. He said it was if she were a figment of his imagination."

They watched as the mutants worked, Logans color leaching out of his face repeatedly. Beverly was concerned enough about his physical condition to grab a scanner and run it over him. His body showed signs of severe stress. His heart rate was dangerously high. She was not happy. He had just lost six units of blood in an effort to stabilize his friend.

"I'm sure he has recovered," Deanna told her as she pulled Beverly away from the group.

"I don't see how," Beverly said. The door swished open to admit Captain Picard. "I took almost half his blood volume not more than two hours ago."

"He's fine Beverly," Picard told her. "I witnessed his healing powers this morning. A deep cut that healed in less than two minutes. Is she the displaced patient?"

"Her name is Jubilation Lee," Troy told him. "She was Logans' partner with the X-Men. She disappeared in 2008." A wave of anger and grief flashed across the sick bay as Logan howled suddenly. Deanna stumbled, trying to get to them before he exploded in rage. She reached out and touched his shoulder and was somewhere else.

She found herself in a barren landscape. Dry wind lashed her face. She looked around in despair. What could have happened to this poor girl to cause such devastation? Nothing will grow here. The only thing she could see was pain. Walking further into the landscape, she found no shield to prevent psychic intrusion. Logan had been trained to shield his mind. He couldn't have neglected to teach Jubilee to shield hers. What happen to the girls shields? Why had she not rebuilt them after they were torn down the first time? What kind of a monster did this to her?

She continued to walk. It seemed like hours later, she found Regina and Logan in what looked like an oasis. Jubilee was sitting by the water, ignoring them. Deanna could hear Logan pleading with her to come back but she wasn't answering him.

Deanna had dealt with minds like this before. She stepped up beside Jubilee and began to project love, acceptance and security. Speaking quietly to the crouching girl, she told her that there were people waiting to meet the famous X-Man.

"I understand your fear, Jubilee," she said quietly. "I can't change what has happened to you. I can only say the I won't let it happen again."

"Are you my mistress?" Jubilee asked in a small voice. Logan's heart clenched in agony.

"No," Deanna told her as she wrapped her arm around the trembling form. "I am a friend of Logan's."

"Wolvie?" she said hopefully.

"I'm here darlin'," he said as he crouched beside her.

"You came?" she whispered.

"I'm late," he said, his voice rough with emotion, "But I'm here now."

"I waited and waited," she said here eyes loosing their focus. "You never came."

"They took ya away from me," he choked out. "I looked fer ten years but they took ya too far fer me ta track."

"They took you off Earth, Jubilee," Regina told her. "Wolverine can't track in space."

"I tried, darlin'," he cried. "I tried so hard ta find ya but I failed."

"Logan," Deanna said. "It's time for you to leave. Beverly is concerned about the blood loss and Regina and I need to help Jubilee rebuild her mind. It's best that you aren't here."

He looked rebellious for a moment. "I want ta stay." he growled.

"You may jeopardize her chances of recovering," Regina warned. "She will need to work hard to rebuild all of this. You will be in the way."

"Please Logan," Deanna begged. "She needs our help to rebuild."

"I will make sure to show her your shield building technique," promised Regina.

He sighed in defeat. "Okay, I'll leave." He felt his mind return to his body with a thud.

Beverly watched as Logan opened his eyes, his body swaying in the chair. She rushed over to him and helped him to the bio bed next to Jubilee. His blood pressure was too low and his heart rate too high.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Her vital signs are much improved," Beverly told him. "How is her mind?"

"It was horrible," he said. "Her astral landscape is a devastated desert. Her memories are scattered and confused. Pieces of old memories are mixed up with newer ones. Nothin' is complete."

"Did she know you? She asked.

"Yeah," he choked out. "She knew me." His eyes closed in grief. "She's right. This is my fault. I shoulda been with her."

"What could you have done?" Picard asked.

"I coulda protected her better," he snarled. "I coulda kept her from being taken. I coulda looked fer her sooner."

"It was four hundred years ago," Beverly protested. "Your memories could be faulty."

"I remember that day like it was yesterday," he growled. "I see it every night in my dreams."

"How did she get here?" asked Picard. "She is from the 21th century. Does she have a healing factor that kept her alive this long?"

"Jubes don't have no healin factor," Logan said. "She was probably taken forward in time."

"By whom?" Picard asked.

"I don't know." Logan said, his arm thrown over his eyes. 'What happened ta ya, darlin'?' he thought.

Logan sighed. "I'm gonna sleep. Don't try ta wake me up unless ya want nine inches of adamantium in yer gut."

"Will you be able to sleep here?" Picard asked. "I can have someone escort you back to your quarters."

"I'll be in a coma before long," he told them. "I need it ta heal. I want ta stay here fer Jubilee."

"A coma," Beverly gasped. "Do you do that every time?"

"Only with severe injuries and blood loss," he looked at her shocked face from under his arm. "Don't worry. I'll wake up on my own."

"What about Counselor Troy and Lt Williams?" Picard asked.

"They'll be at it fer a few hours," Logan said in a very sad voice. "She's hurt bad."

He closed his eyes and tuned out everything except Jubilee's breathing and heart beat. He still was having problems believing that she was here. Who did this and where has she been? From her behavior in the astral plane, she has been a slave somewhere but her injuries say that she rebelled constantly. Her injuries were a mix of old and new. If the Ferengi crew was responsible for any of the injuries, he would give them a world of hurt. Lethargy swept over him as he slipped into a coma. He sighed deeply and let go of consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 5

Logan woke twelve hours later with the comforting thump of Jubilee's heart beat in his ears. Regina and Deanna were still at her bedside working. Crusher was in her office until she noticed him moving on the bed.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she left the office.

"Stronger," he told her. "I'll need another day before I'm ready ta tackle anything big. How's Jubilee?"

"They're still working," she sighed. "I'm not sure they should stay at it this long."

"They haven't come out since I left the meld?" He was astonished. Most telepaths would have stopped after four hours. "They need ta take a break or they'll burn out."

He hopped out of the bed and reached out and touched Regina. He slipped into Jubilee's mind with ease using the telepath as a conduit. The landscape was very different. There were still areas that were barren but more and more areas had life.

"We're not done yet," Regina said from behind him.

"You've been at it fer over twelve hours," he told her as he turned. "I'm going ta get the portable psi shield set up, then I want ya ta take a break. Ya can't help her if yer exhausted."

She looked mutinous for a moment then sighed and nodded.

"You'll feel it when I got the shield set up. That's yer signal ta come out."

He left Jubilee's mind and returned to his body.

"I'll be back," he told Crusher as he ran out of the door.

He returned thirty minutes later, freshly showered and carrying the small orb. He placed it on the table next to the bed and turned it on.

"Man, I hate that thing," said Regina as she opened her eyes. "I feel like I have a bad cold!"

"I don't feel anything," Troy remarked yawning.

"It only gives ya problems if yer a telepath," Logan said. "Yer a Betazoid so ya got a few hours before it'll give ya a headache. Regina's a true telepath so she'll have problems after an hour."

He leaned over and kissed the unconscious woman softly. "I'll be back darlin'. I need ta get some food inta yer saviors." He ran his fingers through her hair and sighed.

"Come on," he said gruffly. "Lets get some food inta ya then ta bed."

"Why Logan," Regina teased. "I didn't know you were interested."

"Funny," he rolled his eyes. "Out. Ya can come back in twelve hours." He grabbed each woman by an arm and escorted them out of sick bay.

He dropped the two women off at the officers mess and went to the Bridge. Picard has had the Bridge crew scanning for Argon's ship for the past day. He needed to get an update.

"We haven't been able to find a trace of the ship," Riker complained. "If we hadn't run into him earlier this week, I'd say he's never been in this sector."

"He may be cloaked," Logan told him.

"Romulins?" he gasped. "I have a hard time believing they'd help pirates."

"There's cloaked and there's cloaked," Logan said. "The cloak they'd use wouldn't be mechanical. Probably a techno mutant telling yer sensors ta ignore their ship."

"A what?"

"A mutant who has a gift to control mechanical objects," he explained. "Not a common mutation but very handy. Most of the time, the mutant only affects machines they can touch physically. I only remember one who could affect machines he wasn't in contact with and he died before he could father children."

"Do mutations follow families?" Riker was curious.

"Sometimes," Logan told him. "All of my descendants who are mutants have some form of my healing factor."

"How many descendants do you have?"

"No idea. I had four daughters but only one was a mutant. The others carried the mutant traits so my abilities show up from time ta time. Most of my kin live a hundred years or more but none of 'em has lived as long as me."

"Did all of your children have kids of their own?"

"All but my oldest," he said. "She was killed in an attack on her school. She was eleven at the time."

"Who would attack a school?" Riker asked appalled.

"Sentinels," Logan growled as he walked up to the tactical station. "Look fer this power signature," he told Worf as he entered a series of numbers into the console.

"I have never seen a power signature like this," Worf commented. "What is it?"

"Phoenix," Logan told him. "She has a unique power and it can't be copied. If ya find it, it can only be Phoenix." He left the bridge without further comments.

"Data," Riker turned to Ops. "What's a sentinel?"

Data rose and went to the library computer to tap in an inquiry. A picture of a large robot flashed on the screen above the keyboard.

"A sentinel was a large mutant hunter robot developed in the latter part of the 20th century. It was modified several times over the years and by the end of the project, were enhanced humans called Prime and Omega Sentinels. They were sleeper sentinels that were able to infiltrate mutant hideouts and kill them. They were extremely efficient and may have been responsible for the sudden decrease in the mutant population in the early 21st century. Once a sentinel was activated, it did not stop until it had completed it's primary programming or was destroyed. Early sentinels could be ordered to apprehend a mutant but the latter ones could only kill. By the time the Prime and Omega Sentinels were in use, there was no effort to contain mutants, only to kill them. This was later described as the genetic purges of the 20th and 21st centuries."

"How many left during the exodus?" Riker asked, sickened by what he learned.

"There were 7000 mutants on the colony ships," Data told him. "I estimate that 3000 remained on Earth. Some of them were executed in the camps early in the 22nd century."

"The rest probably passed for human," Riker mused. "What was the final death toll?"

"1,472,643," Data said without emotion. "That is the official death toll. There were more deaths from a genetically engineered virus released in the late 20th century. The number of deaths due to the Legacy virus has been estimated at 250,000. This all occurred prior to the Eugenics War."

"And we know how many died in that war," Riker said grimly. "The number of deaths is appalling. And these people were natural mutants, children of friends and family."

"There are several reports of parents killing their children when their mutations manifested. Even reports of them killing or abandoning their newborns when they had an obvious, physical mutation," Data told him. "The loss of human genetic potential was vast considering some of the natural mutations included abilities such as extreme intelligence and telepathy. Logan's own ability to heal from any injury would have extended life many years and eliminated numerous diseases from the gene pool."

"He's married several times but only fathered four children," Riker remarked. "I wonder why he hasn't had more."

"It may be an emotional problem with him," Data said. "I noticed that humans believe in the concept of 'soul mates'. It is possible that he has not met his soul mate."

"Why Data," Riker smiled. "I didn't know you were a romantic."

"Romantic, sir," he said, confused. "I do not believe I am a romantic. I simply observe and report the human condition."

"Sir," Worf interrupted. "Daemon Gar is requesting your presence in his quarters."

"Damn," he swore. "I was hoping that he wouldn't call on my watch." He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. "I'll be in the guest quarters. You have the Bridge Mr. Data." He heard Data acknowledge his orders as he entered the lift.

The quarters assigned to the Ferengi Daemon were exactly like the ones assigned to Logan; a spacious, two room suite. In an effort to vary the decor, Star Fleet had used different colors in each of the VIP suites. The Daemon was assigned the green suite. Logan had been assigned the much more desirable beige suite. The Ferengi, of course, complained about the accommodations. Riker spent quite a bit of time convincing Gar that these were the best available quarters, biting the inside of his cheek the whole time, trying to keep from exploding in anger. Riker had problems with the Ferengi.

Before Riker could escape, Gar finally reached the point of voicing his real request.

"I would like my slave returned to me," he demanded. It was all Riker could do not to throttle the ugly Daemon.

"She is still in critical condition," he said through gritted teeth.

"I do not care what condition she is in," Gar said imperiously, "I want her returned immediately."

"You have not proven your claim of ownership," he snapped. "The girl has not shown signs of life and we are not sure she is a mutant."

"If she returns to consciousness without a control bracelet, she will prove her mutation and destroy your ship."

"I doubt that," Riker sneered. "If her condition when she was brought aboard is any indication of how you treat your slaves, then you will probably be her target. I know you are the target of the Star Fleet operative we have on board. He doesn't care for slave traders."

"You will control this spy," Gar demanded.

"I have no control over him at all," Riker told him with an ugly grin. "Star Fleet intelligence is a law unto themselves. He will do whatever he wants and Star Fleet will back him."

"I will meet this spy," Gar said. "He will do as I ask."

Riker began to laugh. He hit his comm badge with a finger. "Mr. Worf. Escort Logan to Gar's quarters please."

"Aye, aye sir," Worf replied.

"You want it," Riker laughed, "you got it. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Fifteen minutes later, the door cheeped. Riker went to it and escorted the powerful mutant into the room, Worf close behind. Both appeared tense.

"Yer Gar?" Logan asked with a low, threatening growl. Riker could hear Worf growling from the door.

"I am Daemon Gar of the Ferengi. You will release my slave..." he was unable to finish. Logan immediately flew across the room and pinned the Daemon to the bulkhead with his claws through Gar's shoulder. The Daemon howled in pain.

Logan's growls increased in volume. "She ain't yer slave."

"Don't kill him, Logan," Riker said with a smile. "Ferengi blood in hard to get out of the upholstery."

"Perhaps you wish to purchase the girl?" Gar gasped, afraid that he had said something very stupid.

"No," Logan told him through his teeth. "I'm takin' her." He withdrew his claws with a 'snackt' and Gar fell to the floor, his shoulder bleeding freely.

He leaned into the Ferengi's face and growled with menace. "If I see a Ferengi ship within ten light years o' her, I'll find ya and kill ya. Understand?"

"Of course," Gar said, trying to stem the flow of blood. "I will pass the information on to my fleet."

"Ya better," he threatened. "Drop 'em off at the nearest star base." he told Riker over his shoulder.

"Aye, aye, sir," Riker said. Logan turned and stomped out of the room, followed by Worf.

"I told you I couldn't control him," Riker said.

"He is a mutant?" Gar asked. Riker nodded. "How is it he is not a slave?"

"Grandfather clause. Any mutant alive at the time of the signing of the Federation Charter is exempt from the slavery clause."

"That is not possible. He would be over three hundred human years old. Humans don't live that long."

"He's not three hundred years old," Riker agreed as he headed for the door. "He's almost five hundred years old." With that, he left Gar to contemplate his mortality.

Riker was making his way back to the bridge when his comm badge chirped.

"LaForge to Riker."

"Go ahead Mr. LaForge," he said.

"Main engines are back online," Geordie reported. "Photon torpedoes are available but main phasers will take five more hours."

"I'll inform the Captain," Riker said as he signed off. "Bridge," he told the lift as the doors closed.

"I have widened the search to ten light years," Worf told him as he entered the bridge.

"Very good, Mr. Worf," he told the tactical officer of the day. He went to the ready room door and requested entry. The doors slid open as he was acknowledged by Picard.

"We're healing," he told Picard. "Mains are online but we have no phasers yet. Mr. LaForge estimates another five hours to get the main bank online. The others will take a few days."

"Does Logan have a plan to get on board Argon's ship?" asked Picard.

"Not that he's shared with me," Riker told him. "He seems to be distracted right now."

"I'm sure," Picard remarked with a smile.

"The Ferengi have requested the return of their slave." Picard's eyes widened. "I introduced Gar to Logan."

"Did he kill him?" Picard dreaded the answer.

"No," Riker told him, "but I don't think they'll repeat the request. At least not while they're on board Enterprise. That doesn't stop them from going to Star Fleet Command."

"From the way the law reads, Ms. Lee is exempt from the slavery clause. She was born in 1983, well prior to the ratification of the charter."

"The problem is proving it. She doesn't have a healing factor to account for her age and most of the records for known mutants were destroyed in the 22nd century. We may have to come up with an alternate plan for her."

"Agreed, number one. Have there been any problems with anti mutant sentiments among the crew?"

"I haven't received any reports of problems but that doesn't mean that there aren't any. Most of the time, these kinds of prejudices simmer before exploding in violence. I'll keep my ears open and see if I can't find some trustworthy people to listen as well."

"I hate having to spy on my crew Will, but I can't allow this to become an issue on board."

"Captain," Riker said slowly, "we know Logan, Jubilee and Williams are mutants. How many more are on board? Could they be a problem?"

"I fear they will be targets," Picard said ruefully. "I won't request that they reveal themselves but please put the word out that I would welcome the knowledge. It will not go into any records, I would just like to know in case they become our only defense."

"I'll ask Logan to approach them," Will told him. "As a mutant himself, he may be trusted more than me."

"Williams may already know," Picard told him. "She's a telepath. It's difficult to keep a secret around someone who can read your mind."

"Mutant problems, mon Capitaine?" Q asked as he popped in.

"Do you mind?" Riker demanded. "This is a private conversation."

"Aren't you afraid she'll read your mind?" Q ignored Riker's question. "She has the ability to enter your deepest thoughts at will."

"I trust my crew," Picard said sternly.

"But what of the ones you don't know about?" Q slithered around the chair.

"Do you have a report or are you here to spit venom," Picard asked angrily.

Q sighed and sat down on the desk. "You're no fun," he pouted. "Your boy has a vivid imagination. We may have a solution to the problem. We'll need a few days to test it first but you can tell that wild man that we may be able to do it."

"I'll tell him when you have a plan that will work," Picard told him. "Do you have anything to do with the presence of Jubilation Lee?"

"Nothing at all," Q said airily. "Her problems belong to a human, or rather, a mutant."

With that said, Q snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Picard exhaled with a whoosh. "I was hoping he would have an answer."

"I guess we wait until she wakes up," Riker said grimly.

Picard ordered best speed to the nearest space station and Enterprise was underway.

Logan had been sitting next to Jubilee most of the day. He couldn't bring himself to leave the sick bay for very long. He still had trouble believing that she was here. It was like a dream come true. He couldn't stop touching her, just to reassure himself she was real. There were changes, of course. She'd been missing for a long time. Her hair was longer, reaching almost to her waist. Her girlish figure had given way to the curves of a woman.

She was too thin and still had bruises all over her body but she was healing. Crusher had operated on the wost of the injuries and physically, she was out of danger. Regina, with the assistance of Deanna Troy, was dealing with the much more severe psychic injury. He knew that when she awoke, she wouldn't be the same person he knew as a girl, or even as a young woman. The damage would change her. He wasn't sure if her core personality would change but there was a good chance it would. He didn't know how he would handle it. There was one thing for sure; he couldn't run this time. He would have to accept her as she was, even if it hurt. He owed her, big time.

All his life, he knew something was missing. He had tried to find it many times. The closest he came was with his second wife. He had loved Ororo. She gave him two beautiful daughters. She had warmed his heart when he fell into his morose moods but she remained frightened of the beast that was part of him. Jubilee was the only person who never feared his animal side. She accepted and loved him, no matter how bestial he became. She was never afraid of him. Afraid _for_ him, yes, but never afraid _of_ him.

She had returned to the X-Men at twenty-two, after graduating from Columbia University with a degree in Physics. He had been insufferably proud of her and made sure anyone within ten miles of the mansion knew she'd graduated second in her class. It got to the point that when the X-Men saw him coming with a huge grin on his face, they'd turn around and walk away. It stayed that way the whole summer until it hit him that she was considerably smarter than him. That was when he became nervous.

He began to get the feeling that he was holding her back. She was too smart to stay with a back country bumpkin like him. She was destine for bigger things, not for risking her life every day with the X-Men.

He had discussed it with Scott and Emma and caused a huge fight between them. Jubilee had always been a favorite with Emma and she agreed that she should be given the opportunity to make her own way in the world separate from the team. Scott, however, craved the offensive power she had for the dream. Jubilee was an alpha class mutant with omega potential and her skills and power would be an asset to the team.

The argument went on for two weeks, making everyone in the mansion miserable, until Jubilee stopped it cold by announcing that she would continue her education on a part time basis while taking her place on the team. She insisted that she would not teach until she was done at college and demanded space in the mansion labs to conduct her experiments. Hank McCoy said that he was thrilled to have her. That prompted a string of lewd remarks from Bobby Drake until one morning, he woke up tied to the bed with a huge paff hovering over him. The comments ended after that.

The incident with Bobby had eased his mind concerning her control over her powers. If she could restrain a large paff like that, she didn't need him watching and guarding her. He backed off and let her do her thing. With her gymnastic ability, speed and mutant power, she was rarely hurt and never seriously. He trusted her to guard his back and she trusted him to guard hers. It was like they'd never been separated.

Well... almost. He found himself distracted by the curve of her hips or the swell of her breasts. It had become apparent when she returned home that she wasn't a girl any more. His body was well aware of that fact. She was a mature, attractive woman in the prime of her life. She was attracting attention from the unattached males in the house. The animal in him couldn't tolerate the competition. His temper shortened and he started to snap at everyone. Emma finally had enough and told him to either make a move or let her go. He had growled at her and told her to mind her own business.

He finally snapped one morning when Jubilee came home smelling of sex and her latest boyfriend. He couldn't remember what he said to her, only that he was angry and jealous. Jubilee asked why she shouldn't sleep with her boyfriend, Logan obviously wasn't interested. They said a lot of hateful things to each other that day, most of it he couldn't remember. In the end, he did the only thing he could think of; he ran.

He stayed away for over a year, moving from place to place. Every time Emma found him, he would move again. He couldn't take the risk Jubilee would find him and end any chance of a relationship. As long as she couldn't find him, there was a chance they'd patch things up. If she found him, he was sure she'd tell him never to darken her doorstep again.

Strangely enough, it was Scott who convinced him to come back and talk to her. They'd never gotten along well in the past. Logan's obvious attraction to Scott's second wife, Jean, had made sure they'd never be friends. Scott, however, cared for Jubilee like a daughter and her misery was killing him. He told him that she was dying from the inside out. She was having trouble controlling her powers and had become a danger on missions. If Logan didn't come home soon, she would self destruct. She needed an anchor and, like it or not, he was that anchor. She still loved him and now she needed him to keep her alive. He relented and came home. They had been working on repairing their bond when she disappeared.

"Logan," Regina said as she entered sick bay, Deanna trailing her. "Just the man I wanted to see."

"Mornin' darlin'," he said.

"Jubilee has a strange inner shield," she said as she sat down in the chair near the bed. "Do you know what it is?"

"She always had a way of disappearin' from psychic scans," he told them. "She called it her stealth shield. Chuck said it was a natural defense."

"It isn't completely gone but it has been damaged. I hope she has enough of it left to rebuild. A stealth shield is extremely rare and very helpful in avoiding detection."

"Are ya going ta wake her up today?" he asked hopefully.

"No," Deanna told him. "She needs a few more days to arrange her memories and rebuild her defenses." He must have shown his disappointment because she put a hand softly on his shoulder. "I'm sure she knows you're here."

"We're going to work on the adamantium shielding technique you showed me," Regina told him. "We'll be able to dispense with the portable shield as soon as she masters it."

"I'm not sure she can do it," he said. "Jubilee ain't a telepath. Chuck had to help me build mine."

"Yes she is," Deanna said. "She's a touch telepath similar to a Vulcan."

"I was going to ask Solar to assist in her training," Regina told him. "I have no idea how touch telepathy works."

"She ain't gonna like this," he growled. "She never wanted her latent telepathy to develop."

"She doesn't have a choice now," Regina said. "The attack on her mind activated it."


	6. Chapter 6

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 6

Logan showed Crusher how to turn the portable shield on and off and told her not to let them work longer than four hours at a time. Regina objected loudly but he was adamant that they take breaks to eat and sleep. A tired telepath was careless, and her own shield was too new to withstand the test of an uncontrolled mind. At this point in her recovery, Jubilee had very little control over any of her powers and could inadvertently smash Regina's fledgling shield. Better to take the time and do it right.

He knew he would be thrown out of sick bay when they opened the meld, so he left before they asked. He had an idea on how to find Argon but he needed help from LaForge.

He stopped in his cabin long enough to open his personal file and copy a diagram onto a padd. He erased the computer entry and made his way to engineering where he found the chief engineer rewiring the lateral phaser array control panel.

"LaForge, I need ya ta build somethin' fer me when yer finished with that," he told the blind engineer.

"What is it?" Geordie asked looking at the padd. "It looks like some kind of sensor but I've never seen one this intricate."

"It's designed to link to the brain of a human," Logan told him. "It'll help us find Argon."

"New technology?" asked Geordie.

"No," Logan smirked. "Very old."

"When do you want it?"

"As soon as ya can get ta me. Data should be able ta make the connections faster than you but ya need ta be there ta help him understand the diagram. Ya need ta have an agile mind to understand."

"Data has an agile mind," Geordie protested.

"He's a machine," Logan said. "Even if he self programs, he needs somethin' ta base the programmin' on. Most of this stuff hasn't been seen in the human world fer three hundred years, and even then, the technology was from a different galaxy. Even if ya don't think it'll work, build it exactly as I put down."

"No power supply?"

"Don't need one. I'm gonna route it through the main sensor array."

He left LaForge to ponder the insanity he had left on the padd and went to the Holo deck to work off some aggression. He stayed for over two hours, fighting holographic enemies, old and new. He started easy with ten Hand ninjas, defeating them quickly. By the time he got to Sabretooth, he was warmed up nicely. The fight went on for fifteen minutes before the holographic head rolled across the floor with a wet slurp. Five Borg drones replaced him.

This was the most dangerous part of the exercise. He had the computer allow the drones to adapt as soon as he took out the first one. The remaining four would need to be eliminated without using his claws. It took a great deal of skill and speed to pass this test. He was immune to Borg nanites but not to their strength. It took all his skill to avoid being tagged by the on-board weapons each drone was given and still get close enough to take them out. By the end of the session, all five were in scattered pieces strewn across the floor.

"Impressive," a security guard said from the door.

"Who are you?" Logan demanded with a growl, still somewhat feral from the exercise.

"Lt. Joe Thompson," he introduced himself.

"Whataya want?"

"I heard rumors that there was a mutant on board," he said, leaning against the bulkhead. "I wanted to see for myself."

"This ain't a petting zoo," Logan growled and gave the air a sniff. "What's yer codename?"

Thompson straightened suddenly. "How... ?"

"Can smell a mutant," Logan said as he picked up a towel and wiped the sweat from his face. "So, what is it?"

"I took the name of the first of my line; Cannonball."

"Do ya have powers like him?"

"Invulnerability when I'm blasting and lots of speed," Thompson admitted. "I'm not an External though."

"Ya fly?" Logan asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "What's your codename?"

"Wolverine."

Thompson's step faltered as he headed for the door. "We were told that we couldn't take the codename of a living X-Man. How come you did."

"Didn't. I'm the original," he told him as they left the Holo deck.

Thompson slapped himself on the forehead. "I should have recognized you. Your portrait hangs in the Danger room corridor at school. Scared the crap out of me every day."

"I'm gonna hafta ask Wetzel fer that flamin' picture," he grumbled.

"So, did you know the original Cannonball?" Thompson was almost skipping beside Logan.

"Sam Guthrie?" Logan asked. "Yeah, I knew him. He went ta another team when the mansion got too crowded. Knew his sister, Paige, better. She was friends with my partner."

"How did he die?" Thompson asked. "I always thought Externals couldn't be killed."

"Everyone can be killed," Logan lectured, "even me. Sam took the wrong woman ta bed. She repaid him by whacking off his head after they were through. I got the bitch in the end."

"She killed him after they made love?" he was astonished.

"They didn't make love, they screwed," Logan sighed. "There's a difference. Sam had been dumped by his girlfriend and was lookin' fer a body ta loose himself in. He picked wrong."

"Damn," he swore under his breath. Logan heard it just fine.

"I told the others that if they wanted to have sex with anyone outside the team ta let me have a sniff first. The casual sex dropped off right away."

"I'll bet."

"The kids were too embarrassed ta ask me so we had a run on celibacy."

"You have to admit, you're a little intimidating," Thompson snorted.

"Worked hard on that image," he said proudly. "I never got caught with my pants down like Sam."

By then, they had reached Logan's quarters. "I have some questions fer ya," Logan told him. "Come in."

They sat at the table near the window. "How many mutants are on board?" Logan asked.

"I'm not sure I should tell you," Thompson said suspiciously. "You're intelligence. They'd love to know all about us."

"I ain't gonna turn any mutant in, no matter what. It's too dangerous fer the ones serving. I just need ta know fer the mission I'm here fer. I know about one."

"Regina Williams?" Logan nodded. "She was in the class behind me. She's a very powerful telepath, maybe as strong as Xavier. She's the only other one I know of for sure. I suspect five others but I haven't approached them."

"Williams may know who they are but I doubt it. Yer school still teaches the value of privacy. She'd never invade another mind unless she had ta."

"So where does that leave us?"

"Ya give me the names and I'll sniff 'em out. Ya don't hafta talk to 'em, I'll do that but I need ta know. We hafta go up against Phoenix."

Blood drained from Thompson's face. "You're kidding, right?"

"I wish."

"She'll kill everyone," he whispered, frightened.

"Only if she's Dark Phoenix. I'm hoping that she isn't but if she is, I can kill her."

In the end, Logan got the five names. He wasn't sure how he was going to justify his trips to some of the areas he needed to go in order to contact the individuals, but he would think of something. In the mean time, four hours had passed and he needed to shoo Williams and Troi out of sick bay.

When he got there, he was surprised to see them sitting in Crushers office sipping tea.

"I'll be able to wake her tomorrow," Regina told him. "She's doing a lot of the work herself, without my guidance. She's evidentially done this before."

"Considerin' how many times people tried to probe her mind when she was a kid, I'm not surprised," he told her. "She's a strong one."

"We'll do one more session this afternoon, then I'll lighten the sleep hold and let her wake up on her own. You might want to stay in case she wakes up early. I don't want her to open her eyes to unfamiliar faces, she might panic."

"Ya don't want that," he told them very seriously. "She might blow and take the ship with her."

"Can she do that?" Crusher asked.

"She could at fourteen," he told her. "And she didn't have total control over her powers."

"Does she now?" she asked Regina.

"Not really," she sighed. "Her control centers took the hardest hit. She'll need to relearn control, and quickly."

"It might be safest ta do it planetside," he ran his fingers through his hair. "The ship can't contain her powers if she's still at the same level she was at twenty-five. I'll talk ta Picard."

"Do you want me to place a block on her powers?" Regina asked him.

"Might not be a bad idea. If the doctor can spare ya, I'd need ya ta come with us ta remove the block and help her learn control."

"Weren't you the one who taught her in the first place?" she asked in surprise.

"Nope," he said as he got up from the chair. "She taught herself. If I didn't need her fer this mission, I'd let her do it the same way, but time's a problem right now. I need ta find out what frame of mind Phoenix is in. If she's in an evil mood, I'll hafta take her out, quick."

"First we have to find her," Deanna said.

"Oh," Logan stopped at the door, "one more thing Regina. Have ya ever used Cerebra?"

By 0600 hrs the next morning, he was back in sick bay, sitting beside Jubilee. Her color was much improved and it looked as if Crusher was doing come modern medical magic. She had been able to add twenty pounds to her emaciated frame and stimulated her lax muscles to tone them. Jubilee would wake up near the weight she was at twenty and almost the muscle tone she was used to. He began to plan her rehab in his mind. He needed her to get back into the game quickly if they were going to live.

"Her shields are back up and her memories are in better order," Regina said from behind him. "She will still have problems accessing some of the more recent memories but her older memories, most especially the ones involving you, are intact."

"When will she wake up?" he asked quietly.

"I can wake her now if you wish."

"Would that be okay?" he asked anxiously.

"I would prefer to be here when she wakes. If anything goes wrong, I can put her back to sleep."

"Do it," he said as he picked up her hand.

Jubilee's eyes fluttered, then flashed open in panic. "I'm here, Jubes," he said quietly.

"Wolvie?" a small scratchy voice gasped. He took a glass of water from the table at the side of the bed and held it to her lips. She drank several sips before he took it away from her. She looked up at him in confusion. "Where are we?"

"We're on the Enterprise," he told her.

"The what?" she asked, confused.

"Enterprise," he repeated. "I know this is kinda hard ta believe but we're in space."

"Again? Is Lilandra here?"

"Darlin', the Shi'ar Empire fell three hundred years ago."

"I don't understand," she complained.

"I know ya don't. Yer memories are kinda screwed up right now."

"Ms. Lee," Regina said in a quiet voice, "I'm Regina Williams. You were attacked telepathically sometime in the past three years. Your memories have been scattered and twisted. You, me and Deanna Troi have been working for three days to repair the damage. You still have some work to do but I felt it best that you awake now and reconnect with your body."

"Are you a telepath?"

"Yes."

"She's one o' Chuck's kin," Logan told her. "She's got almost the same amount of raw power as Chuck but not the experience."

"How bad was I hurt?"

Logan and Regina exchanged glances. He decided to tell her the truth.

"It was bad, Jubes. Yer astral landscape was a desert."

Jubilee was so confused. Everything felt strange here. Even Wolvie felt strange. He looked older. He had gray in his hair for chrissake. What the hell happened to her? The machines in this lab didn't look even remotely familiar, and she spent her share of time in the Med-Lab. The last thing she could clearly remember way seeing Gateway in her bedroom on her twenty-fifth birthday. Why couldn't she remember? Why did Wolvie smell so strange?

Logan could smell her panic a couple of seconds before it registered on the biobed monitor.

"Jubilee?" he questioned.

"You're not my Wolvie," she said, her panic rising. "My Wolvie doesn't have gray hair. He doesn't talk like you. He doesn't feel like you.." She shoved him, hard. "Get away from me!"

"Jubes," he said in a calm tone. "I know yer scared but it's me."

"No!" she screamed. "You can't be Wolvie. You don't even smell like him. Where's the cigar smell? What about the leather? Wolvie wouldn't change that much in three years." She curled herself in a ball, tears streaming down her face. He reached out to hold her but she cringed and pulled away.

"Jubes," he said, his voice full of pain. "Please don't cry, darlin'."

"I want my Wolvie," she whimpered. She began to rock on the bed, here eyes, glazed and panicked.

A new scent floated to him that made his heart skip a beat.

"Gina, knock her out." he yelled to the stunned telepath. The biobed alarms began screaming in earnest. Her panic was causing her weakened heat to falter. Regina concentrated and Jubilee slumped to the bed, senseless.

Logan stood by her bed, shaking in reaction. He never realized how well she knew him. Without the familiar scents of cigars and leather, she couldn't recognize him.

"Are you alright?" Regina asked as she pressed a hypo to the girl's neck and triggered the drug.

"She didn't know me," he choked out. "She was my best friend and she didn't know me."

"Her mind is still pretty messed up and she's displaced in time." Regina told him gently. "The shock of how much you've changed over the years and the damage to her mind made her lash out at you. Give her time to accept that she isn't in the 21st century anymore."

The Sick Bay doors swished open and Picard and Crusher ran into the room. Crusher was still dressed for bed and Picard was in uniform. Both were out of breath. Logan took one look at them and left. He didn't need to see their reactions to what Williams was sure to tell them.

"Regina, what happened?" Beverly demanded.

"I woke her up to allow her to reconnect with her body," Williams told them. "She doesn't believe that Logan is the man he claims he is. She panicked and her heart faltered. I put her to sleep so she could recover more. Logan is not taking this very well."

"Didn't he expect her to have some confusion?" Picard asked.

"I think, underneath, he did. The problem is that he's in love with her and has been in love with her for a very long time. That she couldn't recognize him hurt him deeply."

"He still loves her after four hundred years?" Beverly asked, astounded.

"Apparently, yes."

"Is he stable enough, mentally to do this mission?" Picard asked.

"At this point in time, no." Regina told him. "And if she can't accept that he truly is Logan, I'm not sure if he will ever be stable again."


	7. Chapter 7

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 7

Logan found himself in the Holo deck standing at the control panel. How did I get here? he wondered. The events of this morning came rushing back. Jubilee didn't recognize him. He should have expected this. She knew him better than anyone else alive when they were with the X-Men. Four hundred years will change anyone, even him. He will need to work with her and regain her trust or she would be a liability on the mission, not to mention he wanted her to trust him for other, more personal reasons.

The door ground open to admit Worf. The large Klingon looked at him expectantly."You are planning to train?" he asked.

"I was plannin' ta tear somethin' apart." Logan growled.

"May I join you?"

"I'm turnin' the safeties off." he informed him. "I need a good workout."

Worf nodded slowly. "Agreed." He didn't often train with the safeties off. The programs tend to be deadly.

Logan quickly tapped in the program he wanted and place it on hold.

"This is how we trained when I first went ta the X-Men," he told Worf. "Ya ain't got powers so I have the computer goin' lite on ya and trainin' ya like a Klingon instead of a mutant. It won't be easy. Yer gonna get a real good workout."

Worf glared at Logan, insulted. He was Klingon. He feared nothing.

"Trust me on this," Logan told him. "Yer gonna be glad I didn't treat ya like a mutant."

He turned hand waved Worf over to the other side of the room. "Computer, start program." The room dissolved into the room Logan remembered from centuries ago. "Hold." he called. The sim stopped. "The goal is ta get ta the other side and hit the button on the wall."

"Simple," Worf scoffed. "This is unworthy of a warrior."

"The room will try ta stop ya," Logan explained to him. "There's gonna be a lot of defenses tryin' ta kill ya. Ya have ta make it ta the other side alive."

Worf nodded, still thinking this was unworthy. By the time he got to the other side of the room, he had revised his thinking. He had several smoldering gashes and cuts that looked like they would need medical attention. He slammed his palm on the large red button, gasping for breath. He found himself unnerved by the intensity of the workout. It was considerably harder than he had thought it would be. He turned to find Logan leaning against the wall on the opposite side, a knowing smile on his lips.

Worf leaned against the wall, trying to catch his breath. "You have trained like this many times?" he gasped.

"This is a game we used ta train the kids." Logan told him. "It's a test of their powers and their ability ta avoid danger. We didn't use this one much once we were assigned to a team."

Worf straightened and looked at the smaller mutant sourly. "I will do this again." he demanded.

"Get yer wounds looked at." Logan told him. "It ain't good ta overtrain." He walked up to the control panel and ended the program.

"I wish to try this sim again," Worf insisted.

"Nope," Logan said as he opened the door. "Next time, I'm gonna introduce some powers ta the trainin'. But first, I need a drink."

"A drink?" Worf asked, confused.

"I need a strong drink," Logan insisted. "Any real Romulin Ale on this barge?"

"Come with me," Worf told him as he walked out of the Holo deck. They were quickly joined by Riker. Logan was beginning to suspect Regina had something to do with the appearance of both officers.

"I have Romulin Ale and a bottle of scotch from earth," Worf said as he let them into his quarters. "As a Klingon, I have a very high tolerance for alcohol."

"Not higher than mine," Logan told him. "Healin' factor, ya know."

Worf's eyes narrowed at him. "Shall we start with the ale?" he challenged.

"Probably should start with the scotch. Wanna taste the stuff before we burn out our tastebuds with the ale."

Worf crossed the room and opened a cabinet to pull out a bottle of golden liquid. He blew the dust off of the bottle and handed it to the burly mutant.

"Damn," Logan whispered, reading the label. "This shit's over a hundred years old. Even I don't have any that old."

"Should be good," Riker spoke for the first time. By the time the scotch was gone, Riker was listing to port.

"Women need to come with an instruction manual," Worf announced. His speech was steady and clear.

"More fun to peal 'em and figer 'em out one part at a time," Riker slurred.

"My Jubes didn't know me," Logan mumbled. Worf's hearing was nearly as good as Logan's. The Klingon's eye widened in surprise. Logan almost appeared morose.

"How long ya known her anyway?" Riker boomed in.

"I met her when she was thirteen," Logan told him as he opened the first bottle of Romulin Ale. "She saved my life."

"You owe the girl a blood debt," Worf nodded. He understood that. It was typically Klingon to repay a blood debt with your life.

"It's more than a blood debt," he growled. "She's the other half of my soul. Jubes is the only one who can bring be outta the berserker rages I can fall into. All she needs ta do is touch me and I come back."

"And you have never hurt her?"

"Not physically. I've hurt her in other, more damagin' ways." he admitted. "When she was younger, every time she got hurt or somethin' went wrong on a mission, I'd run off ta my cabin in Canada and get my thoughts together. Every time I did it, I hurt her." He poured three glasses of ale and passed one to Worf. He turned to give Riker his glass and saw him slowly keel over. The insensible first officer hit the couch with a boneless thud and stopped moving.

"Can't hold his liquor," Logan grunted. He made sure the man was still breathing and returned to his conversation with Worf.

"Took me too damn long ta figure out how much she meant ta me," he said tossing the bright blue liquid back. The color reminded him of Hank McCoy. His fur was just that color. Strangely enough, one of Hank's descendants was the chief medical officer on the original Star Ship Enterprise. He never told Hank that he had met the gruff Georgian doctor but he kept his eye out for his descendants.

"You love this woman?" Worf asked.

"Yeah," Logan sighed. "Only problem is, she doesn't believe I'm who I say I am."

"You have worse problems than her memory," Worf warned. "Unless you can prove she is who she claims to be, you will have to turn her over to the Ferengi." His words were beginning to slur with the continual ingestion of the potent ale.

"I know," Logan said sadly. "I have four hundred years of continual genetic tracks. Jubilee doesn't. Her genetic profile was destroyed when the mansion was blown up not long after she disappeared. All I got is a picture."

"That will not be enough." He emptied the last of the ale in his glass and tossed it back. "Are you not feeling the drink?"

"I had a bit of a buzz 'bout ten minutes ago. It's gone now."

Worf shook his head in wonder. It had been a long time since someone was able to out drink him. This man was born on the wrong planet. He should have been Klingon. He could have ruled the entire race.

"I concede," Worf said. "I cannot continue if you are not going to feel the effects of the ale."

"I wasn't drinking fast enough ta get drunk," Logan admitted. "Wouldn't matter. I only stay drunk fer about an hour no matter how drunk I get." He rose from the chair with a grunted. "I needs ta work out Jubilee's therapy. I need ta get her back in shape quick of she's gonna get hurt."

It wasn't that easy. He returned to sick bay to find Jubilee and Regina and a full meld. She still looked haunted and pale but Crusher reported that she ate and was able to keep the food down.

"Regina is showing her the past four hundred years in fast forward," Deanna told him as he watched them. "She wants her to understand how much time has passed. It's the only way she'll accept that you are who you say you are."

"I was replaced once by a War Scrull," Logan told her. "No one noticed. Jubilee was in school at the time so she wasn't there. I ain't sure if she ever met the Scrull, but I know she heard about it."

"Scrull?" Deanna asked.

"One of the many races wiped out by the Shi'ar." he told her. "Them and the Brood. No loss, in my opinion. They were both like the Borg; bent on conquest."

"She had a very interesting childhood." Beverly remarked.

Logan grunted in agreement. "I talked ta Picard. There's a class M planet near here that we can use fer training. Is she ready ta be released?"

"If you're planning to take Regina with you, I'm fine with it." Crusher told him.

"I'm gonna take the strike force." he told her. "I wanna get in as much trainin' as I can. It ain't easy ta bring a team together on short notice."

Logan had taken the time and contacted the other mutants on the ship. One, he could not use. Shawan was beautiful; the spitting image of her ancestress, Ororo Munroe. She had similar powers but was limited to the atmosphere of a planet. Her powers were useless in space. When he introduced himself to her, her eyes went wide with surprise. She hadn't realized that he was still alive and had many questions. He answered as many as he could and gave her his comm code on Earth so she could keep in touch. It was always good to hear from his descendants.

Another mutant he contacted had been raised of Vulcan and easily passed for one. T'Fol refused to participate for many reasons, the main one being she had to maintain her cover. He could understand her reasoning. She had been adopted by a Vulcan couple when she was two and had been raised Vulcan. If it were known that she was human and a mutant, her parents would be in hot water with the Vulcan counsel. Vulcan did not condone the exclusion of mutants but they didn't protest either. She felt that it was best not to rock the boat. It was too bad. He could have used another telepath on the team.

Finny was a teleporter with no relationship to Nightcrawler. He was born on the mutant colony planet, Genosha, but immigrated to Mars soon after reaching adulthood. The Martian government had a 'Don't ask; Don't tell' policy that made it easy for him to fit in. He didn't have an obvious mutation so he passed for human.

Roulard was a descendant of Remy and Rogue's and bore Rogue's trademark white streak in his hair. He had powers like Remy's but not the lusty Cajun's empathy. Too bad he didn't. Logan found him to be an ugly human. He could compare him to the geeks of the 20th and 21st centuries. The only thing missing was a pocket protector. He was, however, as agile and strong as his ancestor and his skill with the bo staff surpassed Remy's.

Two others were unpowered but were considered mutants because they had an inactive X gene. He didn't include them for obvious reasons.

The final mutant was Applebee. She was extremely secretive and refused to tell him much about herself except that she had trained for a period at Xavier's and took the code name of Speedy. A subspace call to the school got him more information but not much. She had left the school over ten years ago after a mishap on a mission. The details were sketchy at best but several team members were injured, one severely. She had super speed and strength and had come to the school knowing how to control her powers. That was all he could get. Her files disappeared after she left and Wetzel couldn't remember her at all.

Thompson and Williams agreed immediately to join him and he hoped that Jubilee was well enough when it came time to take Phoenix down. Finny and Roulard were in and Worf had asked to go as well. That brought the team to seven, six mutants and one Klingon. He wanted to include Applebee but Regina told him that the woman had extremely strong shields and she was not able to tell if she was loyal or not. He couldn't take the chance that Applebee would prove herself on the mission. Too many things could go wrong.

The team beamed down to the dayside of the planet twelve hours later. Logan had requisitioned several pieces of equipment that they would use for training and had them beamed down as well.

The first day was spent setting up camp and exploring the surrounding area for threats. He noticed that Jubilee stayed very close to Regina the whole day. She had become dependent on the telepath for safety. Logan decided he needed to break her of that habit as soon as possible. He had Regina remove the blocks from the girl's mind and free her powers.

Jubilee looked at her glowing hands, frightened.

"Those are yer powers," Logan told her. "Ya need ta relearn how ta control 'em. Concentrate on pullin' the energy back in ta yer body."

"How?" she wailed as plasma blobs shot into the sky and exploded in a multicolored display of fireworks.

"Concentrate," Roulard told her. "Imagine a string attached to your hands and pull it in with your thoughts."

Jubilee felt a click in her mind as her control centers reactivated and the glow died.

"Something happened in my head," she told them, looking at Regina. She took a quick look into the girl's mind.

"Your control centers have just remembered what they are supposed to do," Regina told her. "It's new and they may not remember everything, but it's a start."

Jubilee walked off, looking at her hands and occasionally shooting a plasma blob off. She wanted to explore this talent awhile.

"It's a start," Regina repeated to Logan.

"She used ta be able ta make shapes and control the movement of her paffs," he told her. "She could place them anywhere she wanted just with her thoughts. She could make 'em any strength she needed, almost like she knew how much energy ta use."

"That may be something that is instinctive." Regina said. "We'll have to see tomorrow when we set up the targets."

"We need ta wean her from ya." Logan said.

"I know," Regina replied. "I'm going to insist that she sleep with you tonight."

Logan stopped in his tracks. "Yer crazy," he exclaimed.

"It's the only way. Her subconscious mind knows you and trusts you. We just need for her conscious mind to figure that out. When she's asleep, her subconscious will take over and draw her closer to you."

"Ya don't understand, Gina."

"I understand. You find her attractive and you want her. You're going to have to control the impulse to make love to her and rebuild the trust."

"I ain't sure I can do that," he told her.

"I you need an outlet, let me know."

"Ya volunteerin'?" he asked.

"If necessary," she replied, looking him straight n the eye.

He looked at her appraisingly. She was a beautiful woman. He had almost taken her the night after he arrived but he stopped himself in time. He shields were too new at the time. They weren't now.

"I won't work," he told her. "I recover from sex about as fast as I do wounds. I'd end up stayin' all night with ya. That won't make her trust me."

"I can't damp down your lust. It never works."

"I'll control myself," he told her. "It ain't gonna be easy, but I'll do it."

He steeled himself and entered the tent. She hadn't returned from her exploration of the surrounding area yet so he was alone. He wondered how he was going to sleep in the same tent as her without making love to her.

He had been waiting for four hundred years for her to come back to him. Now that she had, he couldn't touch her until her mind could accept that he really was the same man she knew all those years ago. He'd rather have his adamantium ripped out again than have to do this but if it would help Jubilee, he'd do it.

He busied himself rolling out the bedding and arranging things so they were at his fingertips. One of the lasting lessons he had learned was to expect anything and everything. The last thing he did was to tuck a phaser pistol under his pillow. He didn't usually use them but when it came to Jubilee's safety, he wasn't taking any chances.

He left the tent to make sure his other charges were making similar preparations. Williams and Thompson were doing much the same as he was. He figured that they might. They had been trained at Xavier's and the school taught them never to let their guard down. Roulard and Finny needed to be told what to do. They hadn't been trained to protect themselves except by Star Fleet. Roulard, he wasn't worried about. He had been trained by the Assassin's Guild in old New Orleans. He could take care of himself. Finny, however, only had the training Star Fleet had given him in the Academy. Not nearly enough for the mission. Hopefully, he could adapt to using his powers in a fight.

"Some of ya know what we're gonna try ta do," he said at the fireside that night. "We gotta stop Phoenix."

Jubilee's sharp intake of breath interrupted him.

"Jean?" she squeaked.

"No darlin'," he told her. "Our job'd be easier if it was Jean. She could control her. This time, the host is Demetria Grey, one of Red and Cyke's descendants. She ain't as powerful as Jean was and I don't think she can control Phoenix."

"What are we gonna do, kill her?" demanded Finny.

"If we have ta," Logan told them.

"I can't kill anyone!" He exclaimed.

"Ya need ta get over that right now," Logan told him firmly. "They won't hesitate ta try ta kill you. If ya go in there thinkin' ya won't kill, yer already dead."

"But..."

"I ain't sayin' ya need ta go in guns blazin' but be ready ta kill if ya need ta. Don't worry 'bout Phoenix. I'll take care of her. Ya need ta concentrate on the crew."

"What's the crew?" Roulard asked. "What kind of powers are we going to be dealing with?"

"The ones I knew fer sure are a telepath and a teleporter. The telepath ain't very strong so Gina should be able ta deal with him. The teleporter is very strong. He can port from a distance of about half a light year but I think he's been augmented. If we can knock out his power source, he may only be able to port himself and a passenger but not someone he ain't in contact with. That'll keep us from being ported out inta space so he's the first priority. I suspect that they have a techno mutant who has been hiding the ship from the sensors. I ain't too worried 'bout that one. Techno's have problems thinking smaller than their ships. I also think there's a metal manipulator on board. Jubes, that one's yours. I won't be able ta deal with 'em. I'll deal with Demetria Grey."

"What about the baby?" Regina asked. She had been privy to the discussion between Logan and Q.

"If she ain't had the baby yet, she goes to the Q. If she has, I kill her and the baby goes to the Q."

"That's the deal you made?" she demanded.

"They can contain the Phoenix but only if there's no echo fer her ta grab onto and pull her back. I don't like it myself but I don't see another option."

"You would put a human child in the hands of the Q? That's the stupidest thing I ever heard of. They're humorless monsters."

"If they're that bad, maybe you shouldn't do it," Jubilee said quietly.

"It's not my choice, Jubes. If I don't let them take her, they'll kill her." He looked at both women. "I don't want ta do it. Their first idea was fer me ta kill both of 'em."

"Why?" Regina demanded.

"The Grey women have been the host fer the past four hundred years. It started with Jean and went from there. The Grey line has been loosin' power fer the last two hundred years. None of 'em have been able ta control Phoenix since Rachel. She's killin' people now. She goes from host ta host, eatin' suns and no one has been able ta stop her. If I don't take her out, along with the last of the Grey line, she'll be uncontrollable."

"How are you going to contain the Phoenix force?" asked Jubilee. "No one's ever been able to do it."

"That's up ta the Q." he told her. "Let's get ta bed. We're gonna start trainin' tomorrow so everyone get a good nights sleep. I'm wakin' everyone up just before dawn."

Regina pushed Jubilee back down when she attempted to follow the telepath to her tent. The tiny Asian's cheeks went pink as Regina told her the plans for the night. Logan could see the temper rising in his best friend as she learned where she was sleeping that night. Regina's expression went stern as the conversation switched to the telepathic form. Jubilee's anger finally drained and she nodded. She walked over to the fire and sat down opposite him, looking at her feet.

"Regina says I need to learn to trust you again." she murmured.

"If ya can't trust me, yer a liability," he told her. "I know a lot of time's passed but I'm the same man ya knew."

"Are you?"

"Have I changed that much?"

She looked at him for the first time since he ran out of the sick bay after she woke up. Her eyes went over him carefully, taking in the details.

"You look ten years older now," she told him. "You have gray in your hair that wasn't there before and a few extra lines in your face. Your eyes are harder; more guarded. And you smell different. I feel like I don't know you."

"It's been four hundred years, Jubes. I don't age very fast but I do age."

She couldn't argue with that.

"What happened, darlin'? I went ta get ya after the party and ya were gone."

"The last thing I remember is seeing Gateway in my room when I went upstairs to change."

"Gateway took ya?"

"Must have."

"Yer the only one he ever talked ta. Did he say anything?"

"Something about you needing me," she told him. She shook her head. "I can't remember exactly what he said but he told me you needed me."

"But I was just outside." he protested.

"I said the same thing. Look, I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and accepting that you're my Logan but I'm going to have a hard time trusting you for awhile."

"I don't know what I can do ta make ya trust me." he said

"You can't _make_ me trust you. I have to come to trust you without you pushing me."

"I know, darlin'," he sighed. "I wish we had time ta do it right but we don't. I need ta take care of the Phoenix once and fer all. And I need ya ta trust me ta get ya back alive."

"Can I try something?" she asked quietly.

"What?"

"Regina says I'm a touch telepath. Maybe if I could see into your mind, I can convince myself that you really are my Wolvie."

"Ya want ta do a mind meld?"

"Would you mind?"

"If it'll help, I'll let ya look anywhere ya want."

She looked at him suspiciously. Her Logan hated for anyone to look into his mind.

"I've changed, Jubes," he told her, reading her reaction correctly. "I know I never let Chuck or Jean into my head but I want ya to see what I've been doin' fer the past four hundred years." She still looked suspicious of him. "I trust ya darlin'. Ya never betrayed me and ya ain't about ta start now."

She nodded slowly and reached for his head. When she left his mind, she was crying.

"Oh god, Wolvie," she sobbed. It was really him. A Scrull or a clone wouldn't have the memories that he had. A Scrull or a clone wouldn't have the remembered emotions he felt. He pulled her into his arms and rocked her. "So much has happened to you. Such ugly things." She nestled closer to him, trying to banish the scenes from her head.

"It hasn't all been bad," he whispered.

"'Ro?"

"I loved her," he said.

"I know," she murmured. "But what happened after Amy was killed..."

"We'd been havin' problems fer a few months but Amy's death was the last straw. 'Ro never recovered."

"She blamed you."

He nodded miserably. "She was right," he said. "I shoulda been there."

"What were you going to do? Abandon your mission in Japan? You and Betsy were the only Japanese speakers on the team. You were the one with all the connections."

"I shoulda left the mission ta Betsy. I coulda introduced her ta my connections and gone home. I knew Storm had ta be in California and the kids were home with Emma."

"Logan," she turned his face toward hers, "I love you but you try to take the blame for everything that goes wrong. You haven't learned that you aren't responsible for every bad thing that happens. Sometimes, it's fate."

"Fate?" he snorted. "Was it fate when I lost ya?"

"Gateway said you needed me," she told him. "Maybe you needed me now, not then"

He pulled her into this massive arms, hugging her closely. "I always needed ya," he murmured. He held her until he felt her stiffen.

"We need to get some sleep," she said, embarrassed. Her thoughts were taking a turn that she knew he wouldn't understand.

He released her reluctantly. "I need ta check the perimeter and set the shields," he told her. "I'll be a few minutes. Ya got the left side."

She nodded and entered the tent.


	8. Chapter 8

Phoenix Rising: Chapter 8

Logan woke the next morning spooned around Jubilee's soft form. His body definitely remembered her. He was distinctly and embarrassingly uncomfortable. He needed to get out before he did something they both would regret. He slipped his arm from under her head and replaced it with his pillow.

He rose and looked down on her sleeping face. God, she was beautiful. All of his protective instincts rose in him. He swore no one would ever hurt her again. He would die before he would let her out of his sight again.

It took him a long time to admit to himself that she had grown up. Once he did that, he could feel the love he had for her change from that of a mentor to that of a man. He knew that she had loved him but he was not sure that was true anymore. So much had happened to her in the years she had been missing. It was possible her feelings had changed. Just the thought of it made his belly clench.

He quickly pulled on his battle uniform and left the shelter before he woke her and started asking questions.

He walked among the shelters, banging on them as he passed, waking everyone up.

"Muster ya panty-waists." he yelled. "Uniform of the day is battle dress, no weapons."

Ten minutes later, they began to stumble out of the shelters, yawning and rubbing sleep from their eyes.

"Do we have to wear these things?" Finny grumbled, pulling at the tight uniform.

"I feel like I'm in my underwear," Roulard groused.

"Pipe down!" Logan roared. "I had these uniforms made fer ya. They're insulated against heat and cold. They'll deflect and absorb energy and projectile attacks. They'll mask yer bio signatures and yer mutant gene. Those of ya that trained at Xaviers, yer uniforms are based on the uniforms ya had at school. Finny, Roulard and Worf, yer uniforms are the standard issue fer freshmen at the school. If yer worried about the fit, wear a cup."

Jubilee left the shelter wearing a red and black uniform based on the last one she wore as an X-Man. She had started out wearing one cut nearly as low at Betsy Braddock's but quickly learned that she needed more coverage. Jubilee was fast but Betsy was faster. After getting a nasty laser burn across her thigh, she understood. Betsy could avoid the weapons fire using her ninja speed but she could not. She altered her uniform so that it covered every inch of exposed skin except her head.

"No yellow raincoat?" she teased him.

"Don't need ya ta be a target this time, darlin'." he told her. "Okay everyone, I need ta know exactly what ya can do. I want a demonstration of yer powers."

For several hours, he watched as they showed him what they could do. Thompson blasted as they shot phaser fire at him, proving his invulnerability. He also had one ability that Sam Guthrie did not have. He was able to project his blasts from his hands for a short distance. He could not do it while flying but it was an offensive weapon that could come in handy.

Roulard gathered small pebbles and charged them. He aim was not as good as he ancestors but it would be enough. His skill with the bo staff more than made up for his poor aim. With the staff and his mutant speed, he was nearly invincible.

Finny teleported around the campsite with abandon. It had been several months since he had used his powers and he was rusty. Logan had high hopes that the Ensign would be able to adapt to a team and would fight when needed.

Williams was a big surprise. Not only was she a very strong telepath but she was the most powerful telekinetic he ever met. She had mastered her powers under the direction of her grandfather who, himself, was a powerful telekinetic and a teacher at Xaviers. She had flight ability and she could lift the entire team while she was in the air. Her TK shield could deflect phaser fire set to kill. If anything, she was stronger than Jean Summers. He set her to developing a link with the team so they would not have to rely on mechanical communicators.

He spent most of his days working with Jubilee. It had been three years since she had seen combat and she was very rusty. Her powers were still not well controlled so he set her to target practice. After a few days, he noticed that her paffs were beginning to obey her mental commands.

He set up a smart target for her. They are very fast flying targets and adapted to what was being sent at them. They were very difficult to shoot down but not impossible. He watched as she called a single, small paff and sent it after the target. He warned the others to stay down until she had brought the flitter down. Heads ducked all over the clearing. Just because the paff was small did not mean that it was weak. That small paff could easily take someone's head off.

The paff chased the flitter for almost thirty minutes before Jubilee finally remembered her training and angled it off. She sent a second, then a third paff into the air and, directing all three, made them converge on the flitter and take it out in a fiery explosion.

She turned to him, her eyebrow cocked in a question.

"Good control," he complimented her, "but too much power. Ya need ta meet power with power. Not too much and not too little. Let's work on that fer a while."

By the time she went to bed every night, Jubilee would be shaking with exhaustion and frustration. She had vivid memories of being able to control her paffs with such precision that she could make delicate pictures of flowers blooming and animals running. The large paffs were easy to control. She would just gather the plasma and guide it to its destination. The small paffs were much harder to direct. They were harder to touch with her mind and the wind tended to blow them in every direction. She could not use large paffs on a space ship. She could end up blowing the ship up and killing everyone.

"Maybe you shouldn't take me on this mission, Wolvie." she said into his chest one night after four days of hard work. "I can't seem to find my control."

She heard him sigh as his arm tightened around her. "I need ya, darlin'," he told her. "Me and you are the only ones in this time period that have any idea what she's like. We're the only ones who got any chance of reaching her."

Something in his voice made her look up. "Wolvie?" she said, her eyes full of questions.

"Q wants her dead but she's part of the universe. She's been around since the 'Big Bang'. There's no destroyin' somethin' that old. She was created fer a reason and killin' her may screw things up so bad that everythin' could fall apart."

"How many times have you fought her?"

"Five."

"And you haven't been able to kill her yet?"

"Don't want ta. Like I said, she's part of the universe."

"Why hasn't she killed you?"

"She has some of Jean's memories. That's why we're the only ones who can deal with her. We're part of her earliest memories of humans. She knows we loved Jean and she remembers that love. She remembers us."

"So she hesitates."

"Yeah."

She snuggled her body tighter against his side, trembling. "Why is she killing again?"

"Demetria Grey can't control her. She just ain't strong enough. Accordin' ta Q, Phoenix ain't fed since the host got pregnant. As soon as the baby's born, she gonna go on a rampage that'll leave billions dead. We gotta find her before that happens."

Jubilee was absently tracing the muscles of his chest with a finger. Her touch was like fire on his skin. Breathing was becoming difficult as his body hardened. He wanted her so bad that it was all he could do not to roll over on top of her and take what he wanted; what he needed.

He could not stop the moan that escaped his lips when her finger brushed across a hard nipple.

"Yer killin' me, Jubes." he said hoarsely.

Her hand stilled. He could hear her sharp intake of breath as she became aware of what she was doing and how it was affecting him. She raised her head and looked into his eyes. The desire she could see in them made her shiver.

For as long as she could remember, she had loved this man. At first, it was as a friend and savior. It grew into a adolescent crush which became a steady, mature, want as she grew older. When she was twenty, she would have given anything to see this lust in his eyes but so much had happened in the last three years.

When she was first captured, she was sure that Gateway had pulled him forward as well and he would find her soon. As the months, then years, went by, she realized that he was not going to find her. She had given up hope of ever seeing him again. Her memories of her escape attempts were vague at best but she knew she had tried several times. She could clearly remember that what drove her to try was the possibility that he was out there, looking for her.

In the back of her mind was an unreasonable anger at him for not saving her from slavery. No matter how much she told herself that her captivity was not his fault, she was still angry with him.

"I ain't gonna lie ta ya, darlin'." he said in a low voice. "I want ya. Sometimes it's so bad that it's all I can do not ta touch ya but I know a lot has happened. Maybe too much fer us ta be together. Fer four hundred years, I thought ya were dead and fer three years, ya thought I'd abandoned ya ta yer fate. We've both changed a lot."

"Have I changed so much?" she asked.

"Yeah, ya have." he admitted. "Ya used ta be so brave, almost reckless. Now, yer afraid of yer own powers. Ya don't trust me and ya don't trust yerself." He sat up and faced her. "I'd give anythin' ta change the last three years fer ya, but I can't. Gateway was right. I was on Orion when ya were teleported in. I was probably somewhere near the marketplace at the time. I wish he had told me ta look fer ya but he didn't and I left without ever knowing ya were there."

Her face paled. "You were there?" she whispered.

"Yeah." he admitted. "I was chasing a rogue mutant terrorist. I caught him, killed him and returned to Earth. I never liked the slave market so I didn't go there. If I had, I woulda found ya and taken ya home."

She had been so close. If he had turned right instead of left, he would have found her and saved her three years of torture. He could smell the tears gathering in her.

"Ya know I don't like slavers. I've torn up the Orion slave market twice. Star Fleet woulda had my ass if I did it again."

She gave him a weak smile. "Trying to clean up your act?"

"Tryin' ta keep my nose clean until Admiral Stone retired. He hated me cause I had seniority and wouldn't dance ta his tune. When he found out how old I really was, he started ta give me all kinds of shit. I threatened ta leave him high and dry and he was ready ta force me out. The Federation Counsel stopped him. He had ta take me, warts and all."

"Wow! You've got friends in high places."

"They ain't friends, Jubes. They know I'm the only one that can take care of the dirty stuff. That and I know where the bodies are buried."

"So you're untouchable?"

"Not really. I still have kin on Earth and they know where they're at. I can't get them killed so I behave myself and say 'yes, sir' when they want somethin' done."

"You had refused to take on the Phoenix again until the Q asked you." she reminded him.

"The Q are the only ones that have a chance of containing her." he admitted. "I knew that takin' on Phoenix would have me off Earth fer a long time and it would be a hard fight. I've been fightin' fer almost five hundred years, Jubes. I'm tired. I just want ta sit back and have some kids that I can watch grow up. I never got that with my girls. By the time each one of 'em was ten, I was off on another mission that kept me away from home fer years. It got so that I'd leave when they were kids and when I got home, they had kids of their own. It hurt so bad that I never saw any of my daughters grow up that I've made sure, fer the past hundred years, that I don't make another kid."

"How are you going to get them to stop calling on you? They probably think you're indestructible by now."

"I don't know, darlin'." he sighed. "Maybe I can get killed on this one."

"Don't say that!" she cried, throwing herself in his arms. "I can't lose you now. I just found you."

"Death may be my only way out." his said, quietly.

She did not know what to say. She had seen his memories and knew that he was as much a slave as she. Star Fleet had control over him that no one else had been able to achieve. They held his family hostage against his behavior.

"What are we going to do?" she asked in a small voice.

He pulled her into his arms and held her closely. Worf was right. If he followed the law, he had to return her to the Ferengi trader that abused her. He didn't have a legal leg to stand on, not that it mattered. He couldn't turn her over to those bastards.

"I don't know, darlin'." he said. "I ain't gonna take ya back ta those bastards I found ya with. We're gonna hafta figure somthin' else out." He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply. His body reacted swiftly to her sweet scent.

"I can't give ya up again." he murmured into her hair.

Her scent surrounded him like a blanket. He felt calmer now than he had in the past four hundred years. She always could do this. Even when he had given himself over to the animal in him, she could bring the out man in him. The beast would always recognize her and calm down.

He ran his hands down her back. She felt so good in his arms; so right. He felt her shiver in reaction.

"Logan?"

"I just wanna hold ya." he said in a low voice. "I ain't askin' fer anythin' more. I just need ta hold ya."

"I'm not ready, Logan." she whispered.

"I know ya ain't, darlin'."

"Don't give up on me." she begged.

"Never again." he promised. He lowered them to the ground and pulled her onto his chest.

She rubbed her cheek against his chest and sighed. "Will I ever be right again?" she asked.

"Give yerself time." he replied as she stroked her back. "Keep talkin' ta Gina. She can help ya get everythin' straight in yer head."

"What if I never remember? I don't think I can live with a big hole in my memory."

"Ya get used ta it." he reminded her.

She laid quietly on his chest for so long that he thought she had fallen asleep.

"Did you ever remember anything?" she asked sleepily.

"Some," he admitted. "Don't matter now. It's ancient history now."

"I guess." She yawned hugely. "Night, Wolvie."

"Night , darlin'."


	9. Chapter 9

Logan came awake very slowly. At first, he thought he was having a dream. A warm mouth was nipping and licking his neck. His body began to heat. He moaned as the lips found his collar bone. A hot, little tongue flicked out and traced the protruding bone from his shoulder to his neck. He gasped the name of the woman he had been fantasizing about for hundreds of years.

"Jubes." He woke completely when she spoke.

"I had a dream." she whispered, kissing him lightly on the chest. "We were in the mansion and you came to me to make love to me." He tongue flicked over his hard nipple. "Would you have?"

He hissed as cold air replaced her hot tongue. "I wanted to." he moaned. "I stood outside yer door most nights after ya came back, wantin' ta open it."

"Why didn't you come in?" she asked as she worked her way down his chest to his abdomen.

"God, Jubes!" She had just rimmed his navel with her tongue. "I don't know." He answered her question with a shaky voice. "Scared I guess."

Her hand stroked lightly from his hip to his knee and returned, following the inside path of his thigh. He hissed when her finger flicked under the leg of his shorts.

"Ya better be sure about this." he warned her.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." she said, her eyes never leaving his. "I want you, Logan."

He reached down and pulled her up slowly, prolonging the torment she had started. He settled her on his chest and just looked at her, studying her face.

"Yer so beautiful." he whispered reverently.

She blushed at his words.

"Do ya love me, Jubilee?" he asked, softly.

"Does it matter?" she asked, surprised, propping her hands on his chest so she could see his face.

"Yeah, darlin', it does." he told her.

She could see that her answer was important to him. "I've loved you since I was thirteen." she told him. "Even when you lusted for Jean like she was your last meal, I loved you. When Mariko died and you wanted to, I loved you. Through all the women you slept with, trying to ease your pain, I loved you. Every time you left me, I was angry but I still loved you. When Bastian's guards raped me, my only thought was that you wouldn't be my first, and I still loved you. When I was hanging on a cross on the front lawn, the only thing I could think of was that I was going to die and I never told you how much I loved you. When the fifth Gateway dropped me in the middle of the Orion slave market, I was scared to death, thinking I would never see you again but I still loved you." She reached down and ran her finger over his lips. "I'll never stop loving you, Logan. Not even after I'm dead."

He was humbled by the depth of her love. He lifted his head and kissed her, softly and sweetly. "I love you, too." he whispered.

"Make love to me." she demanded softly.

They were very late leaving the shelter in the morning.

A week later, he felt they were as ready as they could be and called the ship for a pick up. It was 1700 hrs ships time when they were beamed aboard.

"Any luck?" he asked Picard as the team stepped off the transporter platform and scattered.

"No." Picard said sourly. "We have made the repairs we can but we haven't been able to find Argon's ship."

"That's okay." Logan told him. "I have another way of lookin'. Let me get Jubilee settled and talk to LaForge first. We'll find him."

"Ms. Lee," he addressed Logan's pretty companion, "we have prepared a cabin near Logan's for you. If you will allow me, I will escort you to it."

"Ya didn't need ta do that." Logan growled possessively. "She'll stay with me."

Jubilee was looking at Picard with ill concealed curiosity. "Have you ever traced your family tree, Captain?" she asked.

"Indeed, I have." he informed her.

"Is there a Charles Xavier in your ancestry?"

"That name doesn't sound familiar." Picard told her.

"Chuck woulda been erased from the tree, darlin'," Logan told her, "but he's one of Picard's ancestors."

"How would you know?" Picard asked. One of his passions was genealogy. He had traced his family tree when he was a teenager. It was an exciting exercise and he learned a great deal about his family.

"Ya have a trace of his scent." Logan told him.

"And you look exactly like him." Jubilee said. "It's like Charles popped in here from his study except he couldn't walk."

"Who was this Xavier, anyway?" Picard asked.

"The most powerful telepath of the 20th and 21st centuries and the founder of the X-Men." Jubilee explained. "He was like a father to most of us."

"Chuck was committed ta peace between mutants and humans." Logan told him. "He went ta his grave thinkin' it was still possible."

"Did you believe it was possible?"

"Jubilee did." Logan told him honestly. "I wasn't so sure."

"And now?"

"Ain't a snowball's chance in hell, now." Logan growled. "We're leapers, Picard. Everyone's tryin' ta ignore the fact that we exist. The Federation officially says we ain't human and won't budge on that, even when they're given the genetic evidence proving that we are. A mutant becomes property the second their powers manifest. If they're unlucky enough ta be born with a physical mutation, they never know what it's like ta be free. We didn't ask ta be this way, Picard. If ya were ta ask most of us, we'd tell ya we'd rather be normal most of the time. All we ever wanted was ta be left alone ta live our lives in peace. The Federation made sure that'll never happen."

"What about the colony?"

"About ten percent of mutants are sterile." Logan told him. "The remaining ninety percent have problems carryin' ta term. The birth rate on Genosha has fallen to the point where the population is shrinking. In about four hundred years, there'll be more mutants on Earth than on Genosha. We need normal genes ta have healthy kids."

"What are the chances of this situation changing?" Picard asked.

"Since most people don't know what's goin' on, not much." Logan admitted. "The Federation ain't gonna want the general public ta know what they do. As soon as a mutant manifests, they send in the goons ta grab 'em. The family gets a brain wash ta forget what happened and they're told that their kid is in training at Star Fleet."

"How long has this been going on?" Picard asked, appalled.

"It started about a hundred years after the charter was signed. Used ta be, the entire family was killed. Now they got a telepath ta mind wipe everyone who knew the kid. Lucky they don't know about Williams."

"Oh?"

"Williams could mind wipe the entire planet pretty quick." He told Picard. "I never met a more powerful telepath."

"She wouldn't, would she?"

"Nah." Logan said. "Xavier's principles survived him. She wouldn't use her powers against another person unless she had ta.

"Would you to have dinner with me?" he asked. "I would like to continue this conversation."

"Not tonight," Jubilee told him.

"It's been a long time since we've seen each other." Logan told him.

"I understand." Picard smiled. "I will see you in the morning." He watched them leave the transporter room arm in arm.

They made it half way to his cabin before he gave into the temptation and kissed her deeply. The kiss quickly became passionate. He tore his lips from her before he could shame her and take her in the hall. He lifted her into his arms and took off toward his cabin as a fast trot. The cabin door slid open as Logan approached with his precious burden. He quickly flipped the privacy switch as the door closed

"I want you," he rumbled as he slid her body down his. He pulled gently at her clothes, anxious to get them off. "Let me see ya darlin'."

She quickly shed he clothes, leaving them in a pile on the floor. His breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful. Her breasts were perfectly proportioned for her size. Not too large, not too small. With her way of fighting, large breasts would have been a disadvantage. They were tipped with rosy pink nipples, hardened in arousal. He bent his head and kissed the tiny mole on the top of her left breast, making her shiver. He bent lower and flicked his tongue across the nipple.

"Wolvie," she gasped as her knees gave out. He followed her to the floor still kissing her breast, drawing the nipple into his mouth to suckle. She arched into him, pulling his head closer. Her hands left his head to stroke his shoulders, pulling at his clothes.

"Please Wolvie, I wanna see you," she panted.

He sat up, his thighs holding her legs down. She sat up with his to help remove his clothes. Their hands tangled together, both trying to pull his shirt off. Jubilee lost her patience first and grabbed the collar and ripped it off him. He fingers immediately tangled themselves into the mat of hair on his chest, searching for his nipples, tweaking them and making him groan.

"God Jubes," he gasped.

"The rest," she moaned. "Take it off."

He quickly stood and shucked his pants. She scrambled to her knees in front of him, her eyes dark with passion. Her warm hands went to his ankles and she began to work her way up his legs with small light strokes that got firmer and deeper as she got further up. By the time she got to his thighs, his legs were trembling. She ran a finger up the inside of his thigh and he reached down to stop her.

"Don't," he said through gritted teeth. "I won't last." He grabbed her hands and pulled her up, lifting her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "What'll it be darlin', more foreplay or are ya ready?" In answer, she reached between them to grab him and position herself and, with a moan, slid onto his hardness. Her head fell back and she stopped breathing.

Electricity shot from his groin to the rest of his body. He was too close. He held her fast until the fire died a little. He stood there, teeth clenched, his breath coming in sharp pants.

When he finally regained control, he took a step toward the bed, jolting Jubilee's body down hard on him. He stopped with a hiss and Jubilee moaned. "Darlin', we ain't gonna make it ta the bed." He lowered himself to his knees and began to move, every stroke shooting fire through his veins. He knew she didn't have the strength to continue in this position; not quite yet. He bent her back and laid her on the floor, never loosing his rhythm. The small sounds coming from her throat were driving him crazy.

He tried to be gentle. He knew she was recovering from severe abuse over several years and he couldn't be rough with her. His body was crying out to slam into her, over and over. He had to keep reminding himself to take it slow, the animal would have it's way when she was recovered completely.

She was close. He could feel her internal muscles quiver, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Suddenly, she shrieked and arched her back. Her internal muscles clamped down on him triggering his own howling release.

He rolled to his side, taking Jubilee with him, still breathing heavily.

"God," she breathed.

"I've lived a long time but I ain't a god," he chuckled, still breathless.

"Funny," she snickered. "We gonna make it to the bed any time soon?"

Yeah," he laughed. Getting up, he lifted her and deposited her on the bed and climbed in with her.

"At least there isn't a wet spot," she remarked.

"Yet," he said smugly.

"Huh?" she gulped as she looked down at his renewed erection.

"Healing factor darlin'," he stroked a finger down her side.

"That's handy," she gasped, her passion rising again.

"I love you," he said quietly. "I always have."

"How long," she asked as she rolled on top of him, scattering feathery kisses on his chest.

"I don't remember a time I didn't love ya," he admitted. "If it wasn't fer Ororo, I'd a died when ya disappeared. I went a little nuts fer a while and she brought me back."

"Did ya love her?"

"Not like I love you," he whispered. "I've never loved anyone like I love you, even Mariko."

She was stunned. She remembered how he was after Mariko died. She had to plead with him not to commit suicide. She had never seen him so low.

She realized she was crying. "I love you too, Logan." She lowered her lips to his, kissing him softly. "I love you so much," she whispered against his mouth.

"I don't think I'd live if I lost ya again."

"I'm not going anywhere and if you waited four hundred years fer me, you ain't going anywhere either."

"Yer gonna hafta throw me out," he told her as he flipped them over, taking the top position.

They made love again and finally slept, curled in each others arms.

Logan woke early the next morning with Jubilee still in his arms. He felt as if all of his dreams were coming true. Jubilee was finally in his arms and she loved him. His life was finally taking a turn in his favor.

His natural pessimism kicked in. It couldn't last. Every time he found happiness, something went wrong. Silver Fox, Mariko, Jean and Ororo, all dead because of him. Every woman he loved, dead either by his hand or because of him. His life was much more complicated and he had considerably more enemies now. How was he going to keep her safe?

"Cut it out Logan," Jubilee said sleepily.

"You looking inta my head darlin'?" he asked.

"Yer thinking loud enough ta wake the dead," she yawned. "I'm sure Regina heard ya." You would think after four hundred years you'd figure out that you're not responsible for everything."

A flash of light appeared at the foot of the bed immediately followed by the tall form of Q.

"We have it!" he announced. "Hello, my dear." he said to Jubilee as she dove under the sheets.

"Don't ya ever knock?" Logan growled.

"On what?" Q asked. "You must introduce us, Wolverine. She's lovely."

"Get out," he growled.

"I didn't know there was another teleporter on board," Jubilee said as her head emerged from the sheets.

"He ain't a teleporter," Logan told her, his eyes never leaving Q. "He's Q."

"Huh?"

"I'll explain later." he told her. He turned back to Q, his hostility clear on his face. "I'll call a briefin' in two hours. Now, get out." Q wisely left.


	10. Chapter 10

Two hours later, Logan and the strike team waited in the large conference room two decks below the bridge. They were quickly joined by the senior officers. Q, of course, was late but he did bring Barclay, who was looking rather green from his transport from the Continuium.

"'Bout damn time." Logan growled. "Yer late."

"Had a little trouble convincing Mr. Dweeb here to travel." Q explained, jerking a thumb at Barclay.

"Whatcha got?" he asked the tall being.

"There's a white dwarf in this sector that has two uninhabited planets in orbit around it." Q told them. "The sun will nova within the next two millennia so it's a write off. We think Phoenix will go for that sun first. It has the largest available power and is still close enough for her to get back to the host and the baby quickly. We plan to open an array of portals around the sun as she feeds. When she tries to leave, she'll be transported to the Continuium where we'll grab her in a containment field. From there, we'll move her to another galaxy."

"So you're going to dump her on some other sucker?" Jubilee asked.

"Don't worry, little girl." Q sneered.

Logan had to hold her down as she went for Q. "Don't, darlin'." he murmured. "He's too powerful fer ya." He turned to Q. "I ain't dumpin' her on some galaxy that ain't gonna be able ta handle her."

"We've found a gravity well that should hold her." Barclay told him.

"Are ya sure?" Logan demanded.

"The only sure thing is to kill her but you won't let me." Q sneered.

"Where does she go between hosts?" Regina asked.

"She calls it 'The White Hot Room'." Logan told her. "Jeannie convinced her to go back once but Demetria ain't Jean."

"Where's this 'Room'?"

"Don't really know." Logan admitted. "Jean never came back after that death so she couldn't tell us."

"When can we move?" Roulard asked.

"We still don't know where she is." Q complained.

"We will." Logan said. "Gina, I need ya to come with me." He gave the others orders to rest and be ready to move within twenty-four hours.

Stellar Cartography was a huge, very round room. It gave Logan and Jubilee a deep feeling of nostalgia to be in the room. Cerebra, in their time, was very similar. The difference was that rather than psi enhancement panels, this room had holographic emitter panels. It was able to place one in the middle of any system allowing one to plot a course from anywhere to anywhere. It was a handy room to have in your ship. This day, however, it was being used as a huge sensor array. LaForge had wired the little helmet he had constructed into the control panel and routed the main sensors through it.

"I still don't understand how you're going to power this thing." he complained to Logan. "It isn't even hooked up to the cartography control power source."

"Took me a few years ta understand it too." Logan told him. "Gina's the power source."

"A human?"

"A mutant. She's gonna use it ta locate the brain waves of Phoenix."

Regina made herself comfortable in the center chair and lifted the head piece. "I haven't used this in a long time." she told Logan. "And I don't know what Phoenix's brain looks like."

"I've never looked into her mind," Logan said, "but Jubes has."

"I have?" Jubilee asked, astonished.

"Ya were linked with Jean after O:ZT. She was still Phoenix then. Ya should have a residual in yer mind. Ya need ta let Gina into yer mind so she can find the trace."

"Okay." Jubilee sad as she sat in the chair next to Regina.

"Close your eyes and think of Jean Gray." Regina instructed.

Jubilee's mindscape had changed since Regina had been there last. Now, there were numerous memories, complete and incomplete, that vied for her attention. Jubilee's latest night with Logan had Regina blushing as she passed. He was a very sensual man and she felt a pang of regret that she never followed up on their initial attraction.

Several areas were completely black. The memories around them were newer and not very clear. These were obviously memories that were destroyed in the attacks and would most likely never be recovered.

There were a lot of memories of Jean Gray. Most of these were from Jubilee's childhood and they always included Logan. Jubilee's view of his relationship with Jean was interesting. Jubilee saw him as a dog panting after a bitch in heat. It was not a flattering portrayal.

She moved past the anger and disappointment and into the actual memories she needed to see. Jubilee's memories of Jean were mixed. She obviously loved the older woman but envied her Logan's attention and her massive powers.

Jean had been in contact with Jubilee's mind several times over the years but only once was she Phoenix at the time. It was after a very violent memory that Regina was doing her best to shut out. She found the echo of the Phoenix force among the awful memories.

The violence in Jubilee's past appalled her. This poor girl had gone through too much in the past. The one thing that heartened her was that the memories of this horrible time did not stand out among the others. Right now, the predominate memory was making love with Logan the previous night.

She returned to her body, blushing bright red. Jubilee looked uncomfortable but Logan gave her a knowing smile.

"I got it." she said, ignoring the memory. She lifted the helmet and lowered it onto her head. "How far do you want me to look into her mind."

"Just touch it fer now." Logan told her. "I don't want her ta know we're lookin' fer her."

As always when she was connected to Cerebra, she left her body and let her mind expand to the limits of the machine. This time, however, she went farther than she had ever gone before. She could feel the life pulsing on the planets over fifty light years away, a confused muddle of minds and concepts. She closed them off and began to look for the one mind she needed to find.

It was close and, oh my God, it was powerful. Regina had never encountered a stronger mind. She felt the mind stir as she brushed it lightly, questioning, searching. She quickly slammed up her shields and withdrew.

She opened her eyes and a small red dot appeared on the star field. "There." she said shakily. "She's very close."

"Gina?" Logan asked, concerned.

"We won't have much time. She knows I was there."

"How could ya let her know?" Logan demanded.

"She seems to be hyper-aware." Regina explained. "I felt a back ground of pain. Demetria may be in labor."

"Dammit!" Logan swore. "I was hopin' ta catch her before she had the baby."

"Doesn't mater now, Wolvie." Jubilee said. "We need to move while she's distracted."

Logan tapped his comm badge. "Worf, call the team together. We're movin' now."

"Aye aye, sir." came the reply.

Thirty minutes later, the team assembled in the man transporter room, ready for battle. Logan was dressed in his blue and yellow. Jubilee was in black and red. Thompson dressed out in red and white and Finny, Roulard and Worf were in solid black. Regina, strangely enough, was in Phoenix colors of green and gold.

"Did you change your colors?" Jubilee asked her.

"Actually, this is the last uniform I had in school." she told her. "I wasn't comfortable in the one Logan had made for me."

"All it's missing is the emblem." Jubilee murmured to Logan.

"She ain't Jean." he told her. "Phoenix ain't gonna go fer her. Okay, everyone. Find the teleporter first and take 'em out. After that, go and find yer assigned target."

"There are five mutants and one human on board." Regina told them. "I'll blind the telepath as soon as we're transported in and let you know where your targets are."

Logan gave them their assignments. "Roulard, stay with Gina. Thompson, yer with Finny. Worf, stay with Jubilee. I'll go fer Argon first, then Phoenix. Gina, were ya able ta make a telepathic link with everyone?"

"All but Worf." she said. "Klingons are psi negative. There's no way to forge a link with them. The link I've opened will be two way for all of us except him."

"Okay." he said. "I expected that. If anyone needs ta talk ta Worf, tell Jubes what ya want her ta say."

They took their positions on the transporter platform. "Watch each others backs and don't get killed." he told them. "The paperwork's a bitch."

He waited for them to settle and nod. "Energize." he ordered.

They materialized in a small room in the middle of the small ship. Logan quickly took a sniff. "No one on this deck right now." he told the team. "Gina?"

"Engineering." she told him. "There are two there. Probably the techno mutant and one other." She cocked her head. "The teleporter is in his cabin on deck four. The telepath is on the bridge with Argon. I have him blinded to us but he's going to notice it soon. Phoenix is on deck three. She's alone right now and is in a lot of pain."

"Jubes and Worf, get the teleporter. Finny and Thompson go ta Engineering and take out the ones there. Williams and Roulard, yer with me. We'll meet on deck three. If ya hafta kill, then do it. If ya can knock 'em out and transport 'em back ta the ship, then do that but make sure ya get a bracelet on 'em before ya move 'em. Gina, who's our link back at the ship?"

"Counselor Troi."

"Hello." came the faint mental voice of Deanna Troi. "The only one I can't hear is Worf but I can see him."

"I gave her visuals." Regina explained.

"That's fine." Logan said. "Ya know what I want ya ta do, Deanna?"

"Yes." she said.

"Okay." he said. "Let's move out."

Finny and Thompson quickly made their way to the engineering deck and began to look for their targets. They crept down the halls to a Jefferies tube and down to engineering. The two men were sitting at a table playing cards. A tall black man threw in his cards in disgust and growled at the smaller man.

"You're cheating!" he said. "I don't know how, but you're cheating."

"It helps to have a telepath on your side." the smaller man grinned.

"Demetria's been helping you?" the other man asked angrily.

"Not today." he said. "She's been kinda quiet last few days."

The small man reached in for the chips while the tall man reached in for the cards. When their hands were inches apart, Finny appeared and clamped a hand over each wrist. He released them and teleported to the other side of the room. A flick of a switch and the bracelets he had locked onto their wrists activated and their powers were neutralized. He and Thompson made short work of them.

"We better not transport yet. I don't want to alert the computer that we're here." Thompson said as he placed them in a power cuff.

"Worf and Jubilee are having some trouble with the teleporter." Deanna told them in their minds. "Logan's heading that way but your help would be welcome."

"Let me take out his power supply first." Thompson told her. He found the panel that looked to add power to the internal systems far above what was needed and blasted it. The panel exploded in a flash of sparks and fire.

"Let's go." he said to Finny.

They found Jubilee and Worf pinned down in a short hall near a strange looking wall panel.

"We think he must touch this panel to use his powers on a broad scope." Worf told them. "He is moving too fast for us to catch him but he also cannot access his power supply."

"I killed the power." Thompson told him. "He's on his own now."

"Can you follow him?" Jubilee asked Finny.

"I've never met another teleporter." Finny told her. "I have no idea how to follow."

"I wish I'd paid attention when Nightie told me how he did it." Jubilee swore.

"You call Nightcrawler 'Nightie'?" Finny asked, scandalized.

"I knew Kurt a long time." Jubilee told him. "He was a good friend to me."

"But to call him 'Nightie!"

"Why not 'Nightie'?" she asked. "He never minded."

"Let's not argue about this now." Worf told them.

"Right." Jubilee agreed. "Can anyone kill the lights?" she asked.

"The techno is out so we should be able to get computer control." Finny told them.

"What's the hold up?" Logan demanded in a low voice as he slipped up behind them.

"He's too fast." Jubilee told him. "We have him cornered in that room." she said, pointing to a door near the small hallway.

"Every time we attempt to take him, he teleports away." Worf explained.

"I don't think he has much range." Jubilee said. "He can't seem to get off this deck. Finny's going to turn off the lights. When he does that, I can toss a paff in and blind him."

"Sounds like a plan." Logan said. "I'm gonna take Gina and head fer the bridge. Be careful." he said to them. He gave Jubilee a quick kiss and with a nod to Worf, he left.

"He loves you a great deal." Worf murmured to her.

"I love him a great deal, too." she said. "He's my life."

The lights suddenly were gone.

"Show time." she whispered.

Logan worked his way to the bridge in total darkness. Even his exceptional senses did not help. Finny had removed the emergency lights as well. He caught Regina's scent as he climbed the ladder to deck one.

"Ya ready fer this, darlin?" he asked as he found her.

"Ready as I'll ever be." she said. "Phoenix knows we're here."

"She gonna do anything?"

"I'm not sure. She's seems to be waiting."

"Fer what?"

"I don't know. Demetria's still in pain so I don't think she's had the baby yet."

The reached the bridge access hatch and looked up.

"Let's do it." Logan said.

Regina enveloped him in a telekinetic bubble. "You have enough air?" she asked.

"I'm fine." he said. "Just watch yer strength and don't shoot me through the top. Make sure ya let me go right away."

She nodded and began to concentrate. With a thought, she shot him through the hatch and into the darkened bridge.


	11. Chapter 11

Regina's telekinetic bubble released him when he was a foot above the floor. He dropped to his feet and ducked, rolling away from his landing area as quickly as he could. He took a deep sniff and located the others in the bridge. One aft and one straight starboard. He caught Regina's scent as she floated up through the hatch.

"Someone's here." The whispered comment came from the person aft.

"Shush!" the other hissed.

"Won't matter if ya talk or not." Logan growled. "I know where ya are." He quickly moved from his position.

A shaft of hot light appeared as the starboard one fired a phaser. The shaft stopped as Regina's TK bubble enveloped the shooter, bouncing back and enveloping him in the beam. Instantly, he disappeared into nothingness.

"He shouldn't have done that." Regina murmured as she pulled the weapon from the hand of the other. She turned and fired up her hand light. "Argon, I presume?" she asked the tall woman at the back of the bridge.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

"Lt Regina Williams, USS Enterprise." Regina replied. "I believe you have business with my friend here."

"And who are you?" she asked, turning to Logan.

"Wolverine." Logan replied with a growl.

Her eyes went wide with shock. She ran for the hatch, dodging around Logan as she went but she did not make it. Logan's arm wrapped around her neck just as Regina's TK shield snapped up in her face. She was trapped. She felt a meaty fist press against her head and knew she was going to die.

"Why?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Orders." Logan told her.

"You always follow orders?" she demanded.

"When they make sense." he told her, triggering his claws and penetrating her brain with three adamantium blades. She died instantly and without pain.

"Better than she deserved." Regina commented as the body slid to the deck. "Your reputation precedes you."

"Let's go." Logan said, heading for the hatch. "Where's Roulard?"

"I sent him on to deck three. Jubilee and Worf are almost there. I've told them to wait until we get there. I've also told Finny and Thompson to restore the lights."

"Good." he said as he dropped through the hatch to the deck below. Regina floated down using her powers.

They were halfway to deck three when the lights suddenly returned. Regina suddenly gasped and fell against the wall.

"Gina?" Logan sad as he ran over to her.

"Jubilee!"

"What about Jubilee?" he growled. He concentrated, trying to get his love's attention.

"Something's wrong." Regina gasped. "Her thoughts have become chaotic."

He could feel it through the link Regina set up. Jubilee was suddenly in a panic, frightened and, for some reason, very angry.

"Phoenix?" he speculated.

"It doesn't feel like her." Regina said. "I'm not sure where she is right now but she's not on the ship."

"C'mon. Let's get ta deck three." He took off down the hall leaving Regina to catch up with him.

He could smell blood as he climbed down the Jefferies tube to deck three. It did not smell like Jubilee's. The whimpering of a baby floated up the tube making him pause.

"The baby!" Regina gasped from above him.

Logan swore loudly. He had wanted to get there before the baby was born. Now, Q was going to demand he kill the child.

They could hear Jubilee weeping as they approached the room. The sound of her heartbroken sobs grated on Regina's nerves. She really did not understand why. She usually dealt well with grieving people. For some reason, right now, she could not deal with it.

Logan rushed into the room to find Jubilee clutching the bloody form of a newborn baby girl and crying.

"Jubes?" he said as he knelt beside her.

"She's so tiny." she whispered. "How can she be so bad?"

"She ain't bad, darlin'. She's just got the wrong genes."

Q appeared in a flash of light. "Kill the child before you get attached to it." he hissed.

Logan looked up from the damp red hair. "Too late fer that."

"I won't let you." Jubilee told the tall being, her face set in stone. "She's just a baby."

"Logan!" Regina called from Demetria's side.

He quickly made his way to her side. Blood was pooled under the woman, spreading from her thighs in a ever growing puddle. Way too much blood. Something has gone very wrong.

"Retained placenta." Regina diagnosed. "She's lost too much blood. I tried to have her transported back to the sick bay but she's able to resist. She won't go."

"You're Logan?" the weak voice asked.

"Ya need help, girl." he told her gruffly.

"Too late. Don't want it anyway." She stopped to catch her breath. "She knows you. You and the girl. She loves you."

"Where is she?"

"She left just as the baby was born. Still feel her. She's close."

"Gina?"

"She's very close. Her presence is too large to pin down but she's close."

Demetria gasped and a fresh gush of blood hit the floor. "Take care of my baby." she whispered. Logan was the only one who heard it. Her chest fell as she exhaled and never rose again.

'Dammit,' he thought. 'Women ain't supposed ta die like this anymore.'

He stood and turned to the rest of the group. "Go back to the ship. Jubes and I'll finish up here."

The group disappeared in a sparkle of lights. Regina remained behind and checked the baby over, pronouncing her healthy.

"What now?" she asked.

"If Wolverine isn't willing to kill the child, she must come with me." Q told her. "We can't risk leaving her in the universe to reproduce."

"Can't you just make sure she never has children?" Jubilee demanded. "She's only a baby."

Regina listened to them argue over the fate of the baby, her ears filled with a strange buzzing sound. She looked around warily. Where was it coming from? She separated herself from the arguing group and began to search. Why did this feel so familiar?

The argument on the other side of the room continued.

"She needs a normal life." Jubilee argued. "I won't let you lock her up like a dog."

"She's a danger to the entire universe." Q shouted. "She's not going to be a telepath but one of her children might be. Phoenix will find one of her offspring and everything would start all over again."

"You'd punish her for what might be? How can you do that?"

A shriek from Regina interrupted the argument. They turned to find the tall telepath engulfed in bright orange flames and writhing in pain.

"Gina!" Logan roared.

"Don't touch her!" Q yelled.

"That's the Phoenix effect." Jubilee cried. She whirled on Logan. "You said she wouldn't go for her."

"She ain't a Grey. She's a Xavier." Logan protested.

"I had to do something, Logan." Regina/Phoenix said as she straightened. "There is a warp core breech in progress. This vessel doesn't have the power to hold it back."

"Where's Gina?" he growled.

"She's here." Phoenix said. "I am having trouble holding her back. She's much stronger than Demetria. Stronger than Jean. I don't think I will be dominate in this partnership."

She closed her eyes in concentration.

"Kill her!" Q hissed. "Do it before she gets any stronger."

"What about the core breech?"

"I'll hold it back."

"Send Jubes back to the ship first." Logan bargained.

Q snapped his fingers but nothing happened. "She's blocking me." he said, astonished. No one has ever been able to block his powers before.

"You weren't going to send her to the ship." Phoenix said, opening her eyes. "You were going to send her to the Continuium. I can't let you do that."

"Phoenix?" Logan asked.

"We are both here." she told him. "In time, the integration will be total."

"I thought you only wanted the Gray women."

"I was familiar with the Gray line. I had not realized how strong the Xavier line is. I may have made a mistake taking this vessel. She it too strong."

"So she'll be able ta control ya." Logan smirked.

"She has told me I may stay but I will follow her directions."

"She can't stay." Q argued. "She has to die."

"You fear change." Phoenix mused. "You feel that change will increase the likelihood that another race will achieve what your own has. I AM change therefore you fear me."

"That's not true." Q blustered, his face red. "You destroy everything you touch."

"Not everything. I destroy only what has failed to progress. Your own race has come perilously close to failure. You are stagnant. If I do not see progress in the next few mellenia, you too will be destroyed."

"We are omnipotent. What more could there be?"

"You will never know if you don't look but your race won't even look. Mark my words: The Q are doomed if they don't begin to evolve. Return to your race. You are no longer needed here."

"What about the child?"

"The child is barren. The Gray line is ended." She waved her hand at Q and he vanished.

Picard nearly ran him down when he reappeared on the bridge of the Enterprise.

"She threw me out!" Q yelled, indignant.

"Who did?" Picard asked when he had regained his balance.

"Phoenix! And she won't let me flash back to the scout." He couldn't believe she could do this. No one told the Q what to do.

Picard couldn't help but laugh. "You've met your match, Q."

"Captain!" Worf called from tactical. "There's a warp core breech in progress on the scout."

"Transporter room!" Picard barked. "Beam them back!"

"No lock." O"Brian replied.

"Q!"

"Don't look at me. She won't let me anywhere near the ship."

They watched helplessly as the small ship died in a fiery explosion. The bridge was silent only for a moment before Worf and Riker threw back their heads and began to howl. Picard nodded. It was fitting that Logan receive a warriors tribute.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Captain's log: Stardate 5442.6. Our mission has been accomplished but not without losses. Argon is dead, thanks to Logan but we lost Logan, Jubilation Lee and Lt. Regina Williams in the warp core breech. Q informs me that Phoenix is free and now has a new, healthy host. He is not pleased but is helpless to do anything about it. Phoenix is considerably stronger than Q.

"75 percent of my crew has begun to actively lobby for mutant rights, most specifically, Mr. LaForge. The remaining 25 percentseem to be open to the prospect. The mutants who were part of the strike team have been exposed but they have not reported any violence directed toward them. The remaining mutants have made themselves known to me but I am not willing to expose them. While I do not think it is a good idea, if they wish to disclose, I won't stop them.

"As for those we lost, Lt Williams has no living family and when I called the school as she directed in her file, they told me they were aware of her 'change in status'. Ms. Lee gave no directions for informing any next of kin and I suppose Logan was her only contact in this century. Logan left orders that the same school as Lt. Williams be informed of his death and a woman named Jean Porter. I have been told that she is his great-granddaughter. Ms. Porter is a woman of approximately eighty years. I am still amazed that a man of over four hundred years old can look so young. His own grandchildren look much older than he does. The amount of knowledge he has amassed over the years is staggering. The Federation has lost a valuable asset with his death."

Picard added his signature to the log and filed it. He would edit it for transmission to Star Fleet. He did not want the to know that he approved of the mutants who served aboard his ship. He would protect them even if it meant he would be courts marshaled. They were good people and deserved his protection.

A beep interrupted his thoughts.

"A Klingon Warbird has decloaked off our starboard side, sir." comm informed him. "Gowron is hailing us."

"I'll take it here." The face of the ugly leader of the Klingon Empire filled the small screen. "What can I do for you, my old friend?"

"You can have dinner with me, Picard." the grizzled old Klingon told him. "Eighteen hundred hours ships time. And bring Worf. I have not seen him for many months."

"I would be honored."

Eighteen hundred hours found Picard and Worf standing in a formal dinning room on Gowron's flagship waiting for dinner to be served.

"I have recently met someone I believe you know." Gowron told Picard. "A most unusual man. Exceptionally strong and very fast. I have had the pleasure of sparing with him."

The crying of a baby echoed through the large room startling him. He didn't think Klingon's traveled with their families.

"The pleasure was mine." a voice said from the doorway.


	12. Chapter 12

Picard and Worf turned to see two ghosts.

"Logan? Ms. Lee?" Picard gasped.

"I am please to see you again." Worf said calmly.

Picard glanced at his security chief. "You knew they would be here." he stated in a flat voice.

"Yes, sir."

"Worf came ta me and offered us protection and sanctuary in the Klingon Empire." Logan told him. "I accepted as long as ya wasn't involved."

"Why?"

"Yer a powerful advocate for mutants. They need ya where yer at, not in a brig on Earth. Me and Jubes needed ta get outta the Federation so we can live our lives in peace."

"I am still officially a slave, Captain." Jubilee told him. "By your own laws, you must return me to the Ferengi. Logan has been a slave to the Federation for two centuries. Our only chance at freedom is the Klingon Empire. With them, we can be free, productive members of their society. We can have a family without interference and raise our children as we see fit."

"Let us have dinner and discuss this." Gowron said. "This kind of talk goes better on a full stomach."

Dinner was a small affair with Gowron, Picard, Worf, Logan and Jubilee. In deference to their tastes, many human dishes were served. Jubilee stayed with what was familiar but the others ate from both cultures.

"I don't understand how you got off that ship." Picard told Logan. "We saw it explode and I know Gowron wasn't anywhere near."

"I was three sectors away." Gowron confirmed.

"Then how did you get off the ship?"

"That was our doing." a woman said. Picard looked up to see a white clad figure float down from the ceiling.

"Lt. Williams?" he gasped.

"Actually, it's just Regina. You have declared Lt. Williams dead."

Logan looked at her as she settled to the floor. He had not seen her since she accepted Phoenix and the change was significant. Where she had worn green and gold, now she was wearing white with a gold Phoenix emblem across her breasts. The only time he saw this uniform was when Jean had convinced Phoenix to return to the 'white hot room'. Phoenix colors were green and gold and Dark Phoenix, red and orange. What was the significance of these new colors?

"Integration?" he hazard a guess.

"We are one." she confirmed. "Regina is the dominate personality. Phoenix is the power. We are stronger now than we have ever been before."

"And in better control?" Jubilee asked.

"Regina is stronger to begin with." Regina/Phoenix told her. "She will not allow Phoenix to run amok. We will do what we were created for."

"And that is...?" Picard asked.

"We were created to maintain the balance in this universe. What is not working is destroyed to make room for what will work. When stars grow old and begin to falter, they become a danger to the stars around them. We destroy them to allow their star matter to reform."

"Regina is human." Jubilee warned her. "She won't have your lifespan. How will you find another host?"

"We can sustain this vessel for as long as necessary." Phoenix told her. "Logan knows we can bring the dead back to life."

"She reformed me from the cells out." he said. "I don't think she's gonna have any trouble keepin' Gina alive as long as she needs ta."

"With complete integration, aging stops. There will come a time when the human part of us will become tired of the work and we will need to separate. The separation will be temporary. We will let you know when that happens, Logan. You will still be alive."

"What of the child?" Picard asked. "I noticed she was here."

"The child is the last of a great line of very strong women." Phoenix told him. "She is barren."

"How did you convince Q not to kill her?"

"The Q have been neutralized. The child will remain with Logan and Jubilee. They will raise her as their own along with the child Jubilee now carries."

"I'm pregnant?" Jubilee squeaked.

"Not possible." Logan growled. Jubilee had been surgically sterilized when she was sold for the first time and Star Fleet chemists continually come up with new drugs to keep him from reproducing.

"He was conceived two nights ago. Did you think we wouldn't reverse what was done to you both?"

Logan leaned back in his chair, a look of shock and pride on his face. "A son?" he asked in an awed whisper. "We're havin' a son?" This was new for him. All of his other children and most of his descendants were female.

"Every man needs sons to send into battle and bring glory to his house." Gowron told him, pounding his back in congratulations. "Yours will be strong. May you have many more."

"Wolvie?" Jubilee asked in a small voice.

He pulled her from her chair and sat her on his lap. "Don't worry, Jubes. I'm glad yer gonna have my kid." He was smiling hugely at her. He hugged her tightly and whispered into her ear. "Later, I'll show ya just how happy I am."

"My property on the home world is yours to do with as you please." Worf told them. "All I ask is that you make my son welcome when he visits."

"It seem that you have everything arranged." Picard commented. "Why did you want me to know?"

"Jubes and me felt that you deserved ta know the whole story." Logan told him. "It didn't feel right ta lie ta ya."

"All we ask is that you not alter your log and let Star Fleet know Logan is still alive." Jubilee said. "He still has family on Earth and they would be in danger if Star Fleet intelligence knew about us."

"That's how they were controllin' me. They had two of my descendants as hostages and threatened ta kill the rest. If they think I'm dead, they'll leave them alone."

"We will protect your family, Logan." Phoenix told him.

"That's okay, darlin'. I don't think Wetzel can deal with ya. He's a bit of a wuss."

"Well, we guess that's true." she mussed. "We suppose our appearance on Earth would send the X-Men into a tizzy."

"The X-Men are still active?" Jubilee asked.

"They call themselves X-Men but they ain't the same thing. It's more like a trainin' team than a fightin' team. They're no match fer any of the enemies we went up against."

"We must go." Phoenix announced. "We must take care of that white dwarf Q was going to trap us with."

"Ya knew about that?"

"Very little gets by us" she said wryly. "We will visit from time to time. Take care of the Gray child. She is our child, after all." She rose and flew through the top of the ship.

"Very strange entity." Picard said, looking at the ceiling.

"One of a kind." Logan agreed. "Do ya agree not ta mention us in yer logs?"

"I see no reason to change my logs but keep in touch with me. I think things will be changing for mutants in the near future and if you ever wish to come home, I would be honored to take you."

Picard returned to his ship full and happy with the way things had worked out. He and Worf had agreed that they would not mention the mutants again. At least not until the laws had been changed and it was safe for them to come home.

And he believed that change would come about soon. Humans were not tolerant of suppression in any form. The fact that an entire section of humans were being held in slavery would go against the grain for the majority of the population. And those who thought their mutant family members were being trained by Star Fleet would be extremely angry when they found out where they really were. The social upheaval would bring down the present administration and usher in a new one. He hoped the change would be for the better for everyone, not just for mutants.

There was the chance that these changes would bring civil war but Picard had faith in his people. He thought they would take the change with dignity and grace but only time would tell. The next few years would be interesting.

Fin


End file.
